A group of trans women and gay men say they were forcibly dragged out of a Los Angeles bar on Friday night after other patrons used “transphobic slurs” against them. Video of the incident, which occurred during DTLA Proud weekend, shows security guards at Las Perlas removing three people, and at some points physically dragging them out of the bar. The group was made up of staff and volunteers from Bienestar Human Services, a non-profit social services organization for Latino and LGBTQ groups. Members of the group had gone to Las Perlas to celebrate after speaking at the opening ceremony of DTLA Proud on the rise of hate and violence experienced by trans women of color.
Local news outlet KTLA reports that the group said they were ejected after a heterosexual couple approached them and began to “aggressively misgender them,”at one point allegedly saying, “We will come back and kill you.” The couple then allegedly began pushing some of the group members, prompting security to ask the couple to leave. The group of trans women was also approached by bar security staff and removed from the bar, according to a statement from Bienestar. The LAPD confirmed to KTLA that officers responded to the incident around 10 p.m. Friday for a report of a hate crime. The bar, Las Perlas, released a statement Saturday calling it a “rare and unfortunate incident,” and said that it plans to donate its proceeds for the next week to Bienestar Human Services.
Read it at KTLA
