Protesters Confronted By Counter-Protesters Outside Boston Children’s Hospital

A handful of protesters confirmed up outdoors Boston Youngsters’s Hospital on Sunday because the hospital continues to be focused by far-right activists over its remedy of transgender youth.

Carrying indicators that mentioned “youngsters can not consent to puberty blockers” and “youngsters are by no means born within the flawed physique,” the anti-trans protesters stood behind steel fencing that Boston police put up alongside Longwood Avenue.

On the alternative facet of Longwood was a a lot bigger group of counter-protesters holding indicators that learn “Thanks BCH,” “Trans folks belong,” “Defend trans youth” and “Gender affirming care is healthcare.” The counterdemonstration was the nearer of the 2 to the hospital entrance and noticed dozens waving blue, pink and white striped flags.

There have been dozens of cops with helmets and batons alongside each side of Longwood Avenue on Sunday. Boston police mentioned no arrests had been made.

Boston police spokesman Sergeant Detective John Boyle instructed the Boston Globe that police had been on the scene Sunday to “preserve the peace,” enable all protesters to observe their First Modification rights, and to verify sufferers, households, and hospital employees remained secure.

Hospital officers mentioned they had been grateful for regulation enforcement in an announcement supplied to the Globe after the protests ended Sunday afternoon, saying the security and safety of sufferers and staff is the hospital’s prime precedence.

A Westfield lady has been arrested on a cost of creating a false telephonic bomb risk to the hospital on Aug. 30

Boston Youngsters’s grew to become the main focus of far-right social media accounts, information shops and bloggers in early August after they discovered informational YouTube movies printed by the hospital about surgical choices for transgender sufferers.

Individuals on social media accused the hospital of improperly performing hysterectomies on youngsters. The hospital mentioned it solely performs such a process on these 18 and older as part of its Gender Multispecialty Service, however the response was swift and relentless, with a barrage of customers demanding the hospital be shut down and calling the surgical procedures “mutilation,” “barbarism” and “baby abuse,” whereas accusing its medical doctors of participating in malpractice or criminal activity.

Boston Youngsters’s warned employees of the elevated harassment and threats of violence it was coping with, together with numerous hostile telephone calls and emails. Extra just lately, bomb threats have been made in opposition to the hospital. Final week, the FBI introduced a girl from Westfield had been arrested after allegedly calling in a bomb risk to the hospital on Aug. 30.

Boston Youngsters’s has mentioned it’s proud to be dwelling to the primary pediatric and adolescent transgender well being program in america and is dedicated to persevering with to supply lifesaving healthcare.