Three people arrested after protest groups apparently clash outside Fort Worth drag show

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At least one person was handcuffed by police officers outside a drag show in Fort Worth on Sunday afternoon, according to videos posted on Twitter.

Police have not commented on anything that led to the detentions during a protest and counter-protest outside the event. Police records show that three people were arrested: Samuel Fowlkes, 20, on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; Christopher Guillott, 33, on suspicion of assaulting a peace officer; and Meghan Grant, 37, on suspicion of resisting arrest, search or transport.

The incident happened outside a drag show at Fort Worth Brewery and Pizza, at 2737 Tillar St.

Videos on Twitter suggest the three people were with the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club, an organization that often describes itself as a group of defenders and whose members are regularly found countering protesters at drag shows.

The club describes itself on Twitter as “helping marginalized communities in organizing community defense against white supremacists / fascism.”

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At the event Sunday, organization Protect Texas Kids, whose Twitter account says its purpose is to “expose kid-friendly drag shows, child transitions, and leftist indoctrination in the state of Texas,” was protesting against the drag show.

The John Brown Gun Club on Twitter has accused police of “attacking drag defenders” and practicing poor muzzle discipline with long rifles, pointing loaded guns at club members.

In one video, a Fort Worth police officer says, “Cool, I flagged all of y’all,” after counter-protesters accused him of doing so. The video seemed to show the officer, possibly inadvertently, aiming the gun at members of the group while slinging it around his shoulder.

Police did not respond to a request for information on whether the department was concerned about muzzle discipline or why the three people were arrested.

Protect Texas Kids and New Columbia Movement, anti-LGBTQ organizations whose members were at the drag show to protest it, accused members of the gun club of pepper-spraying anti-drag protesters while they were praying. Authorities have released no information about whether they believe that claim is true.

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