ORLANDO, Fla. — Protestors were back out at the Pulse Memorial Sunday afternoon for a stop the violence rally. This comes a day after a protester said they were assaulted by someone on Saturday afternoon.
Orlando police are investigating the alleged assault.
The victim is Zane Aparicio, who goes by Cait. Cait and a few others protested the state’s decision to paint over the rainbow crosswalk in front of the memorial.
They told police a man and a female passenger pulled up in a Tesla. The man got out and went for the flags.
“He marched, with purpose, to the corner and grabbed the Trans flag and the Pride flag out of where we had them posted up and threw them into oncoming traffic,” said witness Andrew Daniel.
Cait and Daniel said they both ran over to get the flags. Cait admitted to chasing after the man in the Tesla to stop him from leaving.
Cait and Daniel said the man had been driving by the area since Wednesday. They said the man kept cursing and shouting at the protestors.
Cait said the man would shout things like “we should die. We’re violent.”
Cait and the other protestors said they took those as threats.
“That’s exactly why I was trying to stop him and called the cops,” Cait said. “It’d be easier to let him walk away and not have the cops go after him. But, in the end, what’s stopping him from coming back tomorrow, Monday night, or Tuesday night to escalate further?”
The protestors at Sunday’s rally said they are tired of being mistreated for just wanting to live their lives and honor the victims of the 2016 mass shooting.
"What happened yesterday was tragic," said Melody Short.
Short is one of the three protestors arrested a few weeks ago for chalking in the crosswalk. Melody said the way they’re being treated is heartbreaking.
“It’s exhausting because even in the army, I had to fight for my rights just to be me. I come home just to get thrown to the curb because I’m a queer veteran,” Melody said. “It’s disgusting.”
The protestors say the hate is not going to stop them from speaking up. Cait is planning to press charges when or if the man they say attacked them is found and arrested. protester
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