Pathetic anti-trans protest outside Boston Children’s Hospital met with wave of LGBTQ+ activists
A small group of anti-trans protesters were met by wave of LGBTQ+ activists at Boston Children’s Hospital after a bomb threat (AFP via Getty Images/Joseph Prezioso)
A group of approximately ten anti-trans protesters outside Boston Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts were met with a wave of LGBTQ+ activists.
Chris Elston, a Canadian anti-trans activist, along with “eight or nine” others, gathered outside Boston Children’s Hospital in protest of the hospital providing gender-affirming care, The Boston Globe reported.
The group of anti-trans protesters, reportedly holding signs saying “children cannot consent to puberty blockers” and “gender clinics harm children” was quickly met by hundreds of LGBTQ+ activists holding Pride flags and supporting the hospital.
Boston Children’s Hospital has been the subject of harassment and threats after a misinformation campaign claimed the hospital performs gender-affirming surgeries on children.
The right-wing social media account Libs of TikTok previously shared a post falsely claiming that the hospital was offering “gender-affirming hysterectomies for young girls”.
The hospital confirmed that it does not offer gender-affirming surgeries to under-18s, instead offering counselling, hormone blockers, and gender-affirming hormones to those who have passed puberty.
The misinformation campaign culminated in a bomb threat being sent to the hospital in August.
Boston’s mayor, Michelle Wu, said in a statement to The Boston Globe: “We will not let those who rely on intimidation and fear-mongering get in the way of our work every day to make Boston a safe and welcoming city.”
LGBTQ+ activists rally outside Boston Children’s Hospital (AFP via Getty Images/Joseph Prezioso)
Catherine Leavy, 37, was arrested at her home in Westfield, Massachusetts, and charged with making a false bomb threat which resulted in Boston Children’s Hospital being forced into lockdown on 30 August.
Massachusetts US attorney Rachael Rollins confirmed that Leavy has been charged with one count of making a false telephonic bomb threat, telling reporters that authorities had recovered the phone they believe Leavy used to make the threat.
According to court documents, the hospital received a phone call saying: “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos.”
Court documents state that Leavy initially denied making the threat during an interview with FBI agents, but later admitted making the call after agents informed her that phone records indicated her phone had made the threat.
Rollins condemned the harassment and threats made to Boston Children’s Hospital, saying: “This alleged conduct is disturbing to stay the least.”
She added: “The people that work at [the hospital] and the parents that bring their loved ones [there] are under enough stress.”
A Boston Children’s Hospital spokesperson told PinkNews at the time of Leavy’s arrest: “We would like to express our most sincere gratitude to law enforcement for their vigorous and effective efforts in bringing to justice those allegedly responsible for the threats against our hospital and staff.
“We stand firmly by our commitment to support transgender patients, their families and the LGBTQ+ community.”
