Police arrested three individuals involved with an Antifa-affiliated counterprotest against an organization protesting an all-ages drag brunch at a restaurant in Fort Worth on Sunday.
Black-clad counterprotesters, many of whom were decked out in tactical gear and armed with handguns and long guns, showed up outside the Fort Brewery and Pizza in Fort Worth in response to a protest from nonprofit Protect Texas Kids, the Fort Worth Police Department said in a press release.
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Kelly Neidert, founder of Protect Texas Kids, told Fox News Digital that counterprotesters were already there when they arrived at the restaurant to peacefully protest the event.
"Three or four of them came up to our protesters and just kind of got in their faces, and they were just standing there praying," she said. "A couple were off to the side holding posters and the Antifa people just pepper sprayed our protesters completely unprovoked. And then they ran away."
Police said they were monitoring both groups via surveillance footage when Samuel Fowlkes, 20, approached the Protect Texas Kids protesters and attempted to pepper spray them.
When officers attempted to arrest him for the assault, Fowlkes tried to evade them and swung his open fists at them, according to police. He was charged with four counts of assault causing bodily injury, one count of evading arrest, one count of resisting arrest and one count of an assault on a peace officer, a second-degree felony.
While they were putting Fowlkes in handcuffs, police said Christopher Guillott, 33, tried to interfere with the arrest by swinging an umbrella at them. He was also arrested after allegedly hitting an officer in the face. He was charged with interference with public duties and assault on a peace officer.
Officers had directed the counterprotesters to the sidewalk to give themselves space during the arrests when Meghan Grant, 37, attempted to bypass them multiple times to get to where the other two were being taken into custody, according to police. She was also arrested and charged with interference with public duties and resisting arrest after allegedly refusing to comply with the officer's order to remain on the sidewalk.
"The Fort Worth Police Department respects everyone's constitutional rights to free speech and assembly," the police department said in a statement. "Our main goal during any protest event is to provide a safe environment that respects all participants' constitutional rights, while effectively maintaining public peace and order. However, those who choose to violate the law and assault others will be arrested."
The counterprotesters were reportedly associated with the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club, and the group requested money from Twitter users to bail them out, according to The Post Millennial. The group claims to "[promote] and [assist] marginalized communities in organizing community defense against white supremacists [and] fascism," according to its Instagram.
The group maintained that the arrests were made against people "trying to aid an injured drag defender."
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The incidents stopped after police blocked off the street following the arrests, Neidert told Fox News Digital.
Neidert's organization, Protect Texas Kids, aims to "take a stand in protecting kids from the toxic, indoctrinating agenda of the left by exposing the truth behind the ongoing assault that has been ruthlessly waged against our children’s identities, core development, and traditional values," according to its website.
Neidert said of the approximately 16 protests Protect Texas Kids has conducted against all-ages drag shows in Texas, armed Antifa have showed up to most of them. The organization made headlines last August when armed Antifa associated with the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club showed up in response to their protest at an all-ages drag brunch in Roanoke, Texas.
