Proud Boys got free subway ride from NYPD following drag queen story hour disruption

The New York Police Department gave members of the anti-LGBTQ and white nationalist organization Proud Boys a free ride on the subway last week, following a protest that disrupted a drag queen story hour in Queens.

Video of the incident posted to Twitter and TikTok on Sunday shows MTA workers holding an emergency gate open for members of the far-right extremist group at a Jackson Heights station as NYPD officers escort them through.

“Proud Boys don’t have to pay for the fare?” someone can be heard asking in the video.

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“We’re special. Thank you. Appreciate it. From your taxes,” one man wearing a “Five Points NYC Proud Boys” vest responds.

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“I have to pay for the fare, but they don’t? Is that the situation you’re saying?” the person reportedly recording the video asks an officer wearing sergeant’s stripes.

“That is correct,” the officer responds.

NYPD help Proud Boys commit fare evasion & then tell journalists to go back and pay for the fare. Everyone should see this video. pic.twitter.com/wrkPjFhQoq

— Brenna Lip (@LipBrenna) January 2, 2023

According to The New York Daily News, the incident followed a clash between the Proud Boys and counter protesters over a drag queen story hour event on Thursday, December 29, at a Queens library. Police said pepper spray was used by members of both groups during the confrontation.

“To deescalate the situation and prevent further violence a decision was made to escort one group to the Jackson Heights subway station to remove the group from the area,” the NYPD said in a statement released on Monday. “Due to the urgency and rapidly evolving situation, a determination was made to place the group on the subway and remove them from the area before the situation could escalate further.”

New York City Councilwoman Sandy Nurse, who represents Brooklyn’s 37th district, retweeted the video on Monday. “We pay $10 million every month to pay about ~120 private security guards to stand by and prevent fare evasion,” Nurse wrote. “I guess it’s cool for homophobic white men who participated in a violent attempted coup against the nation to evade fares.”

We pay $10 million every month to pay about ~120 private security guards to stand by and prevent fare evasion. I guess it’s cool for homophobic white men who participated in a violent attempted coup against the nation to evade fares.