Mass protests met members of the pro-parental rights group Moms for Liberty during their convention in Philadelphia on Thursday and Friday, videos show.
The group’s parent-led local chapters have challenged school boards, previously succeeding in banning books they deem as sexually-explicit from school libraries and keeping critical race theory out of school curricula. The group is holding a convention in downtown Philadelphia over the last weekend in June.
Democratic Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kennedy issued a statement condemning the group Thursday. Demonstrators gathered outside the the Museum of the American Revolution, where the summit was set to kick off, the same evening. (RELATED: North Carolina Lawmakers Bar Gender, Sexuality Lessons In K-4 Classrooms)
“With the Moms for Liberty summit beginning in Philadelphia this week, I want to be very clear that as a welcoming and inclusive City, we find this group’s beliefs and values problematic,” Kennedy said. “We oppose this group’s policy goals, which include attempts to disregard history, ban books, and silence conversations about race, gender, and sexuality. We believe these policies are harmful to youth and I am especially troubled when these policies target classrooms, libraries, and any space where children deserve to feel safe, seen, and supported at all times.”
WATCH: Left-wing agitators scream at peaceful moms as Moms for Liberty kicks off in Philadelphia https://t.co/PW8jprLVJD
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 30, 2023
The child abusers of Philadelphia are very mad that Moms for Liberty don’t want children having their puberty blocked and body parts cut off.
I blew them kisses and they responded by giving me the finger. How rude. pic.twitter.com/ypkhSUfyX2
— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) June 29, 2023
“Fuck you and your fascism!” a group of demonstrators screamed as convention-goers entered the venue, video shows.
More footage shared on Twitter shows one protester appearing to rip the pages out of Bible and saying the book “makes no sense.”
Other video angles show demonstrators waiting outside as moms from the group walk out out of the summit peacefully.
Former President Donald Trump and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, both 2024 presidential candidates, are among the scheduled speakers for the convention.
“We are not going to have the sexualization of our children in our schools. Our children should be focused on math and science, not an agenda of gender ideology,” DeSantis said during his remarks at the event.