KATY, Texas — Dueling rallies were held outside a Katy church on Saturday as it hosted an all-ages drag queen bingo night as a fundraiser.
Tensions were high outside the First Christian Church in Katy as they were trying to raise money for a program called Transparent Closet, a free clothing boutique for transgender teens and young adults.
"No adult entertainers for children," said one person protesting the event. "It's inappropriate for children."
Across the street, counter-protesters had a different message.
"That is nonsense, because drag in itself is just a costume," said one person supporting the event. "It's no different than someone dressed up like a superhero at a comic convention or someone who puts on a Halloween costume."
Protestors on both sides showed up to voice their opinions, and both sides had heavily armed people not wanting to back down. Each side spent much of the afternoon yelling at each other with megaphones.
Both sides were aggressive towards the media.
Heavily armed officers formed a line in the median in an effort to keep the two sides separate. As the crowds grew bigger and bigger, more officers arrived.
Despite the chaos, a pastor told KHOU 11 the event was a sold-out success.
"We know that not everyone will agree with us, so we create a place for people to feel welcomed and understand there will always be people who don't agree with us," the pastor said.