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A video posted online and viewed more than 36,000 times shows security guards forcibly removing a group of transgender women and gay men from a bar in downtown Los Angeles Friday.
The guards at Las Perlas on 107 E. 6th St. are seen grabbing at the patrons and dragging them out of the door. At one point, a woman could be heard yelling, "don't touch me like that," as she struggled with the bouncer who was grabbing at her arms.
Another visibly distressed woman looks on at the camera as a man wraps his arm around her neck and drags her out, video shows.
The group was made up of staff and volunteers from Bienestar Human Services, a non-profit social services organization for Latino and LGBTQ groups. They say they were unfairly treated because of their identity.
They were at the bar celebrating the first day of a local LGBTQ festival when they were approached by a man and a woman who "who began to aggressively misgender them, call them 'men' and shout transphobic slurs," Bienestar said in a news release.
"The group of trans women tried to de-escalate the situation, then the couple shouted and threatened the group by saying, 'We will come back and kill you,'" the non-profit said.
Police could be seen responding to the scene in another video.
Las Perlas issued a statement after videos of the incident were shared online. The bar's spokesperson said that an escalated verbal altercation broke out among two groups of guests at Las Perlas.
"Our manager on duty asked both groups to leave as the safety and security of our patrons and employees is our top priority and we have zero tolerance for this type of behavior in our establishments," the statement read. "The guards removed the guests that were not compliant with the manager's request to leave and did so in accordance with company policy."
The spokesperson called the incident "rare" and "unfortunate" and said the bar has provided "an inclusive and welcoming environment."