Latinos for Trump was refused help by the New York Police Department and labelled “neo-fascists” by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after they held an event to show solidarity with two Proud Boys who were convicted and sentenced to four years in prison after a street fight in 2018.
Jen Loh, the Texas Director for Latinos for Trump, told National File that she felt threatened by what she estimates were 150-200 members of Antifa who protested her event.
According to Loh, the NYPD refused to work with her in planning the event, even after she learned that they were expecting Antifa attend the event in large numbers.
“They told us to contact our local police department and file a police report,” Loh told National File. “We told them that we live in Texas, and they said to file a police report and tell that officer to call them in New York.”
Loh explained that she was finally able to contact the FBI, who then contacted the NYPD and arranged for some police presence at the event.
However, Loh adds that the police simply instructed them to stand in a small area, and did nothing to reign in the Antifa protesters who attended and threatened them.
Apparently at the same time as the event the event, several banners allegedly placed by the Proud Boys were discovered across New York by NYPD, prompting Cuomo to take to Twitter to denounce the organization.
Cuomo referred to the Proud Boys as “Bigot Boys,” calling them cowards.
“I have a message for the ‘Bigot Boys’ who skulk around like cowards in the dead of night: when you preach hate and division, NY answers with love and unity,” Cuomo tweeted alongside a statement.
In the statement, Cuomo claimed that the Proud Boys are a “neo-fascist group.”
The Proud Boys banners found in NYC today have been removed and an investigation is ongoing.
I have a message for the 'Bigot Boys' who skulk around like cowards in the dead of night: when you preach hate and division, NY answers with love and unity.
Crawl back into your hole. pic.twitter.com/HgrVWsLSJ1
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 17, 2019
According to Loh, “Andrew Cuomo’s comments yesterday basically give Antifa the green light to continue with their attakcs on conservatives like the Proud Boys.”
Loh says that the banners were not placed by Latinos for Trump, but that the banners were not incendiary or violent in nature, and did not prompt the shocking response from the governor.
The Latinos for Trump director added that “People are seriously scared” of Cuomo and that “they see a powerful man telling them that they are not welcome in New York.”
According to Loh, Latinos for Trump held the event because they fundamentally view the Proud Boys who received prison time as supporters of President Donald Trump, and believes that the NYPD refusing to work with her and maligning the banners placed at her event as “neo-fascist” to be a product of anti-Trump hatred.
This article was updated with clarified information about the location of the banners allegedly placed by the Proud Boys.
