Kalen D’Almeida and Braden Ellis accosted David Boyles, also co-founder of Drag Story Hour Arizona, last October

Kalen D’Almeida and Braden Ellis accosted David Boyles, also co-founder of Drag Story Hour Arizona, last October

Two employees of a rightwing youth organization who harassed and assaulted a queer professor last year agreed to a diversion program and admitted they were guilty of the acts.

Turning Point USA’s Kalen D’Almeida and Braden Ellis accosted the Arizona State University (ASU) professor David Boyles last October, hounding him about his sexuality and the classes he teaches. Boyles is an English instructor and the co-founder of Drag Story Hour Arizona.

At one point, D’Almeida pushed Boyles to the ground, bloodying his face. Boyles posted an image of his injuries online at the time, saying his physical injuries were “relatively minor” but that he felt “angry, violated, embarrassed and despairing at the fact that we have come to normalize this kind of harassment and violence” against the LGBTQ+ community.

Both D’Almeida and Ellis signed diversion agreements with prosecutors that acknowledge they committed the offenses and enter them into an educational program to avoid convictions, Phoenix TV station 12News reported.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    104·
    2 months ago

    Both D’Almeida and Ellis signed diversion agreements with prosecutors that acknowledge they committed the offenses and enter them into an educational program to avoid convictions, Phoenix TV station 12News reported.

    I assume Republicans will call for them to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law anyway. They’re tough on crime, right?

    • Zombiepirate@lemmy.worldEnglish
      28·
      2 months ago

      They’re actually more than fine with reactionary violence.

      You can tell by talking to a Republican about January 6. Or the Proud Boys/oath keepers in general. Or Kyle Rittenhouse. Or Chilean right-wing death squads.

      So I kinda doubt it.

    • slacktoid@lemmy.mlEnglish
      191·
      2 months ago

      Yes the strong uphold the law republican boys will never be light on crime. /s

      • Zron@lemmy.world
        17·
        2 months ago

        Those are just stereotypical “spoiled white children” names.

        I don’t agree with judging people by their names, unless they chose them themselves. But these Adults should get actual consequences, not just what amounts to a diversity training program. I have to do diversity training at work, and I didn’t even do anything but get hired.

  • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
    38·
    2 months ago

    That’s a hate crime. Hopefully the educational program will change them for the best, but I have little faith.