By way of threats and alleged assault, transgender activists on Wednesday reportedly forced a group of women’s rights demonstrators to shutter their “Let Women Speak” rally in Tacoma, Washington.
Women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen, who headed the event, told The Daily Wire the “Let Women Speak” speaking tour is intended to allow women who’ve been silenced online for bucking radical transgender orthodoxy to make their voices heard “in the actual public square” — though on Wednesday the women were shut down in-person, too.
“The USA is failing to uphold the First Amendment at the behest of this odious and most insidious quasi-religious cult called transgenderism,” Keen blasted. “Women must be protected to speak about the eraser of our spaces, our rights, and the words we use to define ourselves.”
Keen claimed the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) “failed to show up until the 23rd call for help,” adding that video of an assault led to at least one arrest.
“April Morrow was assaulted when a man grabbed her hand and crushed it in order to steal her phone and smash it,” Keen said. “She has suspected broken fingers and is seeking further medical attention today [Thursday]. The footage was given to police and he was promptly arrested.”
“As women’s rights activists were dispersing the @StandingforXX rally in Tacoma, WA on Oct. 26, far-left pro-#trans protesters surrounded & assaulted a middle-aged lesbian caught in the middle,” The Post Millennial’s editor-at-large Andy Ngo captioned video from the event. “She had an arm injury that required treatment. The male assailants escaped on foot.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the TPD for comment, and heard back from the department’s public information officer Wendy Haddow soon after publication.
“The Tacoma Police Department had officers on scene monitoring the event,” Haddow said via email. “Police responded to calls from victims wanting to report a crime. This included a victim who reported an assault and damage to a cell phone. An arrest was made of a 27-year-old male, and the suspect was booked into jail.”
As women's rights activists were dispersing the @StandingforXX rally in Tacoma, WA on Oct. 26, far-left pro-#trans protesters surrounded & assaulted a middle-aged lesbian caught in the middle. She had an arm injury that required treatment. The male assailants escaped on foot. pic.twitter.com/bZF2aNyjN7
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) October 27, 2022
Another video from the event shows a male sneaking up on a female speaker before being stopped by another quick-acting female demonstrator.
A 'stunning and brave' maIe attempts to assauIt a woman.
With cat like reflexes.
Amanzing @KnownHeretic jumps in to block him. What a Shero!#LetWomenSpeak #LetWomenSpeakUSA pic.twitter.com/gCfisi3vyR— SFW Kellie-Jay Keen #AdultHumanFemale (@StandingforXX) October 26, 2022
Numerous high school students came to try to shut down the women’s rights demonstrators, too, Keen told The Daily Wire.
“Nearby high school students screamed obscenities in the faces of women who gathered to speak,” she explained. “Along with other protesters they circled around us and started to push us until we deemed it too unsafe to continue.”
“This was made worse by the fact that their principal would not ask them to go inside, he said it would make things worse for himself,” the activist noted. “He also confirmed that boys use girls private spaces in that school and that it was state law.”
After the shuttered rally, Haddow said the department “received a report from a victim reporting they had been pepper sprayed while at the event” and a report was taken. “The adult female suspect had already left the scene. No arrest has been made at this time.”
“Today we were advised three students from a nearby school were pepper sprayed during the event,” the officer added. “An employee from the school called 911 today. The investigation is ongoing.”
After an assault, threat to kiII and the police @TacomaPD refusing to attend, the only option was to end the event.
I repeat, @TacomaPD would not protect women.
Footage by @KnownHeretic #LetWomenSpeak#LetWomwenSpeakUSA pic.twitter.com/DKa3HOtcHL— SFW Kellie-Jay Keen #AdultHumanFemale (@StandingforXX) October 26, 2022
This post has been expanded to include comment from the TPD