PEACEFUL COUNTER-PRESENCE SET FOR TUESDAY’S REDLANDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Concerned community members will attend the December 6th Redlands City Council meeting and speak in support of our trans community and council member Jenna Gusman-Lowery to counter the planned presence of far-right outside agitator group Gays Against Groomers (GAG) brought in by former RUSD school board candidate, Erin Stepien.

Concerns among the Redlands community continue as the outside presence of far-right groups tied to the Proud Boys persist. Conservitive, anti-trans group, Gays Against Groomers (GAG)intrests in Redlands began when failed Redlands school board candidate, Erin Stepien used her openly anti-lgbtq+ stance to collaborate with the known extremists, one of the groups is known as Gays Against Groomers (GAG), a far-right group tied to the Proud Boys. Stepien had invited them, along with others, to the October 11th school board meeting in an effort to stoke division and boost her campaign. Redlands is now the newest target of this group.

At the November 15th Redlands City Council Meeting, council members Jenna Guzman-Lowery and Denise Davis sponsored a Proclamation to recognize Trans Day of Remembrance(November 20th) and invited trans members of Redlands to receive the proclamation. The Proclamation was well received by a community member who spoke in support of his younger sister who is Trans. This public comment of support sparked an exchange that has prompted GAG’s planned appearance. Local attorney Greg Brittain spoke against the proclamation stating that “As long as there has been multi-cell life on the planet there has been two genders” among other false, anti-trans statements. Council member Guzman-Lowery countered Britain with a statement condemning “Sensationalized language used to incite fear, and to hurt people ''. Council member Davis also spoke in support of Guzman-Lowery’s response stating that “LQBTQ Youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and a lot of that is because of comments like this.” (referencing Brittain’s public comment).

Safe Redlands Schools organizers who monitor social media extremists in the Redlands area have been notified that GAG member, Frank Rodriguez of Palmdale has responded via Twitter using a video clip of Guzman-Lowery’s comment stating that he and other members of GAG are coming to Redlands to provide her (Guzman-Lowery) with an “education”. In follow up tweets, Rodriguez states that he will be bringing “private security”. Rodriguez's presence is especially concerning to the Redlands community due to Rodriguez’s recent campaign to fundraise for a weapon, stating that “These school board meetings are absolutely dangerous”. This call for funds came just three days after GAG attended the RUSD school board meeting on 10/25/2022. GAG, Rodriguez and their followers are specifically targeting council member Jenna Guzman-Lowery with their planned attendance on Tuesday evening’s council meeting

Safe Redlands Schools is asking community members to attend the 12/06 City Council meeting to express their solidarity with trans community members and council member Jenna Guzman-Lowery. A meeting will be held at the parking lot next to Inez Tamales at 22 E. Vine, Redlands, at 5pm, one hour before the Redlands Council Meeting, being held at Redlands City Hall at 5pm (open session) at 35 Cajon St, Redlands.

Safe Redlands Schools is a group of Redlands parents fighting for student safety & against the post-Trump, white supremacist, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric recently brought into our school board meetings.