Sheriff's Deputies Make Dramatic Arrest of 'Pride' Festival Attendee After Realizing Who He Is
Authorities on Saturday arrested a man attending a “pride” festival in California who had been wanted on robbery charges.
“On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, a robbery occurred at the West Hollywood library. The suspect stole the victim’s cellphone. West Hollywood Station Detectives later identified the suspect as Hunter Lee Darling,” the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station wrote on Facebook.
The post noted that in April, an arrest warrant was issued for Darling.
“On Saturday, June 3, 2023, deputies saw Suspect Darling during a ‘Pride Weekend’ event,” the post continued.
“West Hollywood deputies arrested Suspect Darling and booked him at West Hollywood Station for robbery, vandalism, and battery,” the post said, adding the arrest did not take place without an incident. Video of the arrest shows Darling yelling at deputies.
Zodiac Rose arrested at West Hollywood Pride on arrest warrant for theft
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 4, 2023
“During Suspect Darling’s arrest, Abby Nicole Thomas, a friend of Suspect Darling’s, intervened and prevented the deputies from safely completing the arrest. Abby was arrested and booked for interfering and obstructing an arrest,” the post said.
An LGBT activist claimed the arrest was homophobic.
🚨BREAKING🚨@WHDLASD just brutalized and arrested 3 queer volunteers at #wehopride. The Sheriffs were making fun of the booth and the volunteers responded “This is why we don’t like cops at Pride” The sheriffs then attacked them and are filing bogus charges. Will update here 🧵 pic.twitter.com/kcuSrLZcUs
— Jordan David (@jordandavidx) June 4, 2023
A video from April showed a man believed to be Darling taking a phone from an anti-drag queen show protester and stepping on it, according to the Post-Millennial.
The Blaze noted that multiple incidents of violence took place during the April protest.
Protest outside West Hollywood Library on April 15 during which Zodiac Rose allegedly stole and stomped a cell phone
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 4, 2023
The Post-Millennial reported that on Friday, a fight broke out at a Saticoy Elementary School “pride assembly” protest. The report said Darling, who is also known as Zodiac Rose, was at that incident.
The report said counter-demonstrators, including members of antifa, sought to disrupt a protest by a group called the Glendale Unified School District Parents’ Voices, which was opposing the school’s curriculum.
Darling is being held on $100,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Inmate Information Center.
Darling is scheduled to appear in court on the charges against him on Tuesday.
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