Penn State group begs for money for trans activists arrested during Riley Gaines event
'We are in a larger context of a neofascist war on trans people,' the group said.
The group called Riley Gaines a 'neofascist charlatan' and called the protesters 'heroes.'
The arrest of two trans activists at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) has inspired a student group to take to Instagram to beg for money for the activists.
The activists were both arrested at their school’s Oct. 10 celebration of Real Women’s Day, a day designated by Riley Gaines, who spoke at the Penn State event.
One activist was seen on video calling a man an “anti-trans piece of sh*t” and saying “I hope you die” before brushing supplies off of Gaines’ table. The other activist was seen flipping a table and accusing a bystander of being “transphobic.”
On Oct. 12, Penn State’s Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity (SCSD) took to Instagram to ask for money for the arrested individuals’ legal defense..
“TWO PROTESTERS WERE ARRESTED YESTERDAY AT PENN STATE FOR NON-VIOLENTLY DEMONSTRATING AGAINST ANTI-TRANS AND NEOFASCIST VIOLENCE,” the post began. “THE PROTESTERS WHO WERE ARRESTED NEED LEGAL DEFENSE. PLEASE DONATE TO @VVITCHI ON VENMO AND SHARE THIS POST TO SUPPORT THE OBTAINING OF LEGAL DEFENSE FOR THESE ACTIVISTS.”
[RELATED: ‘Peeping’ trans student to stay in sorority after judge dismisses lawsuit]
The post continued by saying that “a cartel of anti-trans organizations invited neofascist charlatan Riley Gaines to Penn State University Park campus to put trans students and their allies in the crosshairs of neofascist violence.”
“Fortunately, a group of protesters took steps to protect our community from the violence against trans lives that Gaines came to promote at Penn State. Despite the threat posed by Gaines and her entourage, protestors did the right thing and took direct action to remove hateful and violent anti-trans propaganda that neofascists had brought to our campus and community.”
“We are in a larger context of a neofascist war on trans people,” the post concluded. “This event was meant to bring that war to our campus. Protesters are heroes for confronting these forces and we need to support them. These defenders of our community were charged with disorderly conduct and we know this charge will require funds for legal fees, fines, and other expenses.”
Campus Reform previously reported on Penn State’s SCSD. On Oct. 12, SCSD partnered with Penn State’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and several local organizations to protest in favor of Hamas.
In an Instagram statement, the groups referred to Hamas as “courageous” and applauded their “incredible bravery.” In addition, the group put the word “Israel” in quotation marks in order to state that it is an illegitimate state and censored the words “Zionist” and “Zionism” as “z*onist” and “z*onism.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Penn State and SCSD for comment and will update accordingly.
