Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg was heckled by homophobic protesters in Dallas.
What happened?
Buttigieg was speaking at the Dallas County Democratic Party’s Johnson Jordan Dinner on Friday, 3 May when he was interrupted by protesters four times. They shouted references to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were ‘reduced to ruin as a result of sinful acts – including sodomy.’
‘Marriage is between a man and a woman,’ one of the Christian dissenters cried. ‘Repent!’
CNN’s DJ Judd was in attendance and captured the following footage of the incident. Here, you can see a woman get ejected from the event after using anti-choice language, implying Buttigieg wants to ‘kill babies.’
Pete Buttigieg has been interrupted four times here in Dallas by protesters. One yelled “Marriage is between a man and a woman!” Another yelled “Repent!” After the 4th, Buttigieg continued, “The moment I packed my bags for Afghanistan, to defend that man’s freedom of speech…” pic.twitter.com/zIpDSCIrti
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) May 4, 2019
Buttigieg’s response
In response to the protesters’ remarks, Buttigieg reminded the audience of why he decided to enlist in the military and serve in the Middle East.
‘I packed my bags for Afghanistan to defend that man’s speech,’ Buttigieg stated, prompting applause from the audience.
Additionally, he deadpanned how the audience was a ‘lively room’ and how he was ‘just thinking of that scripture that says bless and do not curse.’
Anything else?
Randall Terry, who founded the anti-abortion organization Operation Rescue in the 1980s, is thought to have led the group of protesters. In addition to the hecklers, protesters also positioned themselves outside of the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, ahead of Buttigieg’s arrival. One man dressed up as Jesus holding a cross. Another woman held a sign that said ‘No Vote Buttigieg’ featuring a doctored photo of an infant’s foot being ‘removed’ during an abortion.
There are some protesters here at Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s speech at the Dallas County Democratic Party Dinner. They’re familiar faces if you watched the Mayor’s Iowa kickoff rally. pic.twitter.com/sQDVuWQQzR
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) May 4, 2019
Following the incident, fellow presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke tweeted in support of Buttigieg.
‘Texans don’t stand for this kind of homophobia and hatred,’ O’Rourke wrote. ‘Mayor Pete, we are grateful you came to Texas and hope to see you and Chasten back again soon.’
Texans don’t stand for this kind of homophobia and hatred. Mayor Pete, we are grateful you came to Texas and hope to see you and Chasten back again soon. https://t.co/IhRDtIBREb
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 4, 2019
See Also:
Chasten Buttigieg’s brother says he doesn’t ‘support the gay lifestyle’
Oprah Winfrey nicknames Pete Buttigieg ‘Buttabeep, Buttaboop’
70% of US voters would be willing to vote for a gay president