Elm Fork Gun Club members arrested during a confrontation with members of Protect Texas Kids on Sunday outside a drag show in Fort Worth were, from left, Samuel Fowlkes, Christopher Guillot and Meghan Grant.
Three people were arrested Sunday, April 23, outside Fort Brewery and Pizza during a drag show at the venue after a counter-protester allegedly sprayed mace on protesters with the anti-LGBTQ group Protect Texas Kids, according to a press release from Fort Worth Police Department.
According to police, a “small group” of Protect Texas Kids protesters showed up at Fort Brewery on Sunday to stage a protest across the street from the restaurant, located at 2737 Tillar Street, west of downtown Fort Worth. A group described by police as counter-protesters also showed up, dressed in black, wearing helmets and tactical vests. The counter-protesters — many of whom were armed with handguns and long guns, police said — lined up in front of the business.
While monitoring “both groups via a city camera,” officers said they saw a counter-protester later identified as 20-year-pld Samuel Fowlkes of Parker County “approach the Protect Texas Kids protesters and spray them with pepper spray. When officers attempted to handcuff Fowlkes, police said, Fowlkes “began to evade officers and then swung his closed fists at officers who tried to stop him.”
As officers continued to try to handcuff Fowlkes, another counter protester —identified as Christopher Guillot, 33, of Denton County — “interfered with officers’ efforts by swinging an umbrella at officers.” Police said Guillot was arrested after he hit one of the officers in the face with the umbrella.
A third counter-protester, identified as Meghan Grant, 37, of Dallas County, “attempted to charge past FWPD officers multiple times to gain access” to the two men being arrested. “A FWPD officer attempted to stop Grant by pushing her back toward the sidewalk,” the FWPD press relase said, “however, Grant did not comply and was taken into custody.”
“The Fort Worth Police Department respects everyone’s constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. Our main goal during any protest event is to provide a safe environment that respects all participants’ constitutional rights while effectively maintaining public peace and order,” FWPD officials said in the press release. “However, those who choose to violate the law and assault others will be arrested and charged.”
Fowlkes has been charged with a Class A assault causing bodily injury (four counts); Class A evading arrest/detention; Class A resisting arrest and 2nd degree felony assault on a police officer.
Guillot has been charged with Class B interference with public duties and 2nd degree felony assault on a peace officer. Grant has been charged with Class B Interference with Public Duties and Class A resisting arrest.
Protect Texas Kids, which is described as a nonprofit but is not listed on the IRS website for tax exempt charities, was formed in 2022 by Kelly Neidert, a right-wing activist who took pride in calling herself “the most hated conservative college student in the state of Texas” when she was attending University of North Texas. The organization often shows up outside locations where drag shows are being staged, and Neidert and her comrades like to accused drag queens of being pedophiles who “groom children.”
Last fall, groups of counter-protesters affiliated with John Brown Gun Clubs began showing up as well, putting themselves between the TPC protesters and the drag show venues to, they say, protect attendees, performers and the venues’ staff. On its Twitter feed, EFGV is described as “Helping marginalized communities in organizing community defense against white supremacists / fascism.”
Sunday’s incident appears to be the first time any of the counter-protesters have attacked the TPC protesters, at least in North Texas.
— Tammye Nash
Antifa Scum, get your reporting right! And, three total waste of oxygen
Because they Stood up for rights? I bet you think the seditious attack on the Capitol was a peaceful protest! Everyone deserves to live their life any way they want a long as it hurts no one else. People need to be making sure they’re living right. Doing that will take up all your time and you won’t have time to worry about others and sling hate. Jesus said to take the log out of your own eye before you worry about the splinter in another’s eye. He also said to love everyone and treat them how you would want to be treated. He didn’t say ‘ but not if their gay, drag performers, people you don’t agree with’. No. He said everyone. He hung out with the biggest sinners. Y’all all want freedom but only for those you agree with. That’s not how America is supposed to work. You take away rights of some no one will fight when they come to take yours.
I have zero problem with people having drag shows etc. No one should care what other people do and anyone who does needs to look at their own life.
The problem as I see it as both sides have dug in their heels and will not talk to each other with respect and compromise their position. Being gay, trans, non binary, or straight we are all neighbors and we need to stop all of this hate and learn to love one another. The right needs to accept that it’s normal and ok to be different and the left needs to understand that kids need to be kids and grow up without being sexualized and used as pawns in this culture war. The more we see each other as a member of a group and not as an individual then it’s not going to get better. MLK jr had it right in his speech, we just need to embrace it.
People fighting to allow drag queens the right to perform in front of kids is sick. Basically perverts fighting for the right to sexually assault kids. Nasty sickos. They should be arrested for being sex offenders and hopefully we get the death penalty here in Tx for sex offenders!
Where does it say they were performing in front of kids? It was at a brewery. Does Texas let children into breweries? Well, they arm everyone so it wouldn’t surprise me. The right are using kids in a culture war. They use “grooming” as a way to place hate on drag. No one does actual drag in frontof kids. Kids aren’t allowed in venues where it’s performed! And to go to a drag queen story hour a parent has to a form and be protestant. Y’all are making up problems where there aren’t any. Just to get votes. You demonize a community to get votes. To make money. It you can’t see the fascism in this then you’re just not looking.
*sign a form
Much like the author, you couldn’t be bothered to do 30 seconds of your own research. Instead, you’re attacking innocent protestors that were assaulted without cause by 3 animals because they had the temerity to suggest that adult performers shouldn’t expose themselves to children at an establishment that serves alcohol.
I live in the area, the location is in the shithole known as east side fort worth. This BAR in particular (because thats what poor, stupid hipsters calls their gross dive bars now – breweries) is next to an auto lot, another adjacent lot full of shipping containers with delightful graffiti all over them, and a bunch of rundown/closed businesses that should have had their buildings condemned two decades ago.
Yes, definitely a family friendly location to bring the kids to – even before you factor in the booze and adult strippers.
Your attempt to equate pedophiles with gays is why gay rights are being driven back everywhere. You disgust me.
PS Fowlkes is looking at 14+ years for four counts of assault (it may be upgraded since he used a deadly weapon), another assault on a cop, and evading arrest. Great start to his 20s, right?
Erika T: The post is based on information from Fort Worth Police.
Innocent, goes easy on the drugs sweetie. You can’t just pepper spray someone and then hit a cop. A
Your hateful lies and propoganda are inn full display. How about we talk about people who molest and rape the most kids, people parents leave their kids alone with at last weekly — Catholic priests and Southern Baptist preachers (among many other protestant denominations). Instead you talk about performances allowed for only 18 and up. It’s so obvious this is about your hatred for a group that is actually protecting kids. I can’t beleive this site allowed you to basically advocate for murder of a group based on propaanda and not on facts. If I were you I’d worry more about the local youth pastor who is left alone with kids for hours instead of a queen at a drag show that a kid can’t even get in to see.
So shows like Boosom Buddies, Mrs. Doubtfire, etc., are sick as well.
What I find sick and twisted is “gay” trump supporter. How can you be against your own well being and your own interests?
How are the left ‘sexualizing kids’? Kids are only allowed at drag queen story hour if a parent says they can go and are there. Even then nothing sexual is done. They don’t read 9 1/2 weeks to kids. Drag shows aren’t done in front of kids. You have to be over 18 to see one. It’s the right saying the left are ‘grooming’. It’s b.s. propoganda. People should be allowed live their lives the way they want as long as it’s not hurting anyone. People just don’t want certain people to have rights. It’s a culture way fought with lies to get elected and makemoney. They hurt with fascism for money. Kudos for these 3 standing up for rights. The right is just upset that the left stood up and they have guns. They’re all good with January 6 and police beinghurt and killed. So all of thisis bs. They are only upset because the left stood up.
The left and the right need to grow up and stop this fight that no one is winning.
If you want to lawfully protest, go for it if you want to counter protest great. Both sides have the right to peaceful.
To the anti LGBTQ I ask, what have they done that directly affects your life? The BS of grooming kids is just that, BS.
Drag shows can be funny, sexy even erotic to a certain extent. The performers are not nude and they don’t interact with children.
To those counter protesters, you have no right to put your hands on anyone! If you feel the need to protect the people inside that’s great. Don’t use pepper spray on the other protesters and follow the lawful orders of the police officers sent there to protect everyone’s rights!
It is way past time in this country to allow freedom of speech and expression for every person! Your business ends at the tip of your nose. If there is no direct harm to you or your loved ones, it’s time to shut your pie hole.
WE NEED TO EUTHANIZE SEX OFFENDERS AND THOSE WHO ARE JAMMING DRAG QUEENS DOWN THE THROATS OF LITTLE KIDS! ANYONE WANTING TO HAVE THEIR PERFORMING DRAG FOR KIDS OR HAVING THEIR KIDS WATCH DRAG JS A SEX OFFENDER! Perverts!!!!!!