Pro-Transgender Candidate Is Chased From a Trans Rights Event Over Gaza

Scott Wiener is a Democratic member of the California Senate and a prominent gay politician who has championed significant state legislation to expand the rights of transgender people.But late Friday afternoon, as Mr.Wiener was on his way to a Pride Shabbat service led by a trans rabbi, he was run out of San Francisco’s annual Trans March by protesters accusing him of endorsing genocide in Gaza.A man named Dimitry Yakoushkin filmed Mr.

Wiener, castigating him for being “terrible on Gaza,” the video Mr.Yakoushkin later posted to social media shows.

A half-dozen or so other people follow along, yelling a steady stream of invective at Mr.Wiener, profanely accusing him of being “genocidal” and having “Zionist handlers.” One waves a middle finger in his face.“You do not belong here anymore, Scott,” Mr.

Yakoushkin shouted.“I want to support someone who’s so positive on trans rights, but you’re a piece of shit on Gaza.”Mr.

Wiener, a front-runner in the race to replace the retiring Nancy Pelosi in the House, said that protesters never shoved or grabbed him, but that they did touch him multiple times.At that point, he said, he decided that attending Shabbat and the march could endanger him and his staff.

“It was the first trans march that I have not participated in since the first one in 2004,” he said in an interview.Debates over transgender rights and over U.S.support for Israel have divided the Democratic Party, with the war in Gaza growing especially contentious in recent months.

Polls have found Israel and its government becoming increasingly unpopular with Democratic voters.Mr.

Wiener has defended Israel’s right to exist, but criticized its actions in Gaza and has said it should not receive U.S.military aid.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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