The United States presidential election has captured the attention of people from across the globe, and thousands of Canadians tuned in to the election's first debate on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
While the debate had a number of notable exchanges, Trump's handling of a question regarding white supremacy was one of the evening's most inflammatory moments.
Debate moderator Chris Wallace - American journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday - directly asked Trump if he could denounce white supremacy. The President said he was "willing to do that" but didn't say "yes" or offer any words of condemnation.
Trump's initial refusal to criticize the Proud Boys — instead saying the group should “stand back and stand by” — drew fierce blowback before he altered his message in a day-later effort to quell the firestorm.
According to , the Proud Boys are a far-right, anti-immigrant and male-only organization that promotes and engages in political violence.
After the debate, Proud Boys leaders and supporters took to social media to celebrate the president’s comments at the debate, with more than 5,000 of the group’s members posting “Stand Back” and “Stand By” above and below the group’s logo.
In response to the President's comments, American actor George Takei asked his LGBT fans to take pictures of themselves making out with each other "or doing gay things" with the hashtag #ProudBoys.
"I bet it would mess them up real bad," the Star Trek icon Tweeted on Oct. 1.
I wonder if the BTS and TikTok kids can help LGBTs with this. What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with . I bet it would mess them up real bad.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei)
The hashtag takeover did not take long to blow up on Twitter, with the number of LGBT supporters far outnumbering the number of Tweets from the extremist Proud Boys group.
Takei quipped, "You're welcome, Internet."
Look up what’s trending now on . You’re welcome, Internet.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei)
Well, that certainly blew up. 馃槀 Have you posted your photo yet, friends?
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei)
I hear The Proud Boys are quite unhappy with me. Oops! Well, I’ve started to collect some of the fabulous posts from our campaign, working my friends at dotgay. Check out the first carousel of images at
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei)
Have a look at some of the local LGBTQ+ #proudboys tweets from the past week.
A standing ovation and round of applause go out to Ambassador, , for using his platform to create a social media call-to-action of LGBTQ+ couples reclaiming and adopting the 'Proud Boys' hashtag this past weekend. Bravo, Uncle George! 馃彸锔�馃寛 馃枛馃徏
— Pride Live (@REALPRIDELIVE)
Two more here! Me and at the 2019 Shabbat Dinner with Pride Colours. 馃彸锔�馃寛馃嚚馃嚘
— Aaron Robinson 馃殱馃 (@aaronmdrobinson)
I am all for this rebranding.
— JackRabbit (@JackRa6bit)
stand against racism, and hate, and stand up for equality and love.
— Spencer Chandra Herbert (@SChandraHerbert)
馃嚚馃嚘馃彸锔�&锄飞箩;馃寛
— Canadian Forces in 馃嚭馃嚫 (@CAFinUS)
A little over a year ago...when it was still safe to be out and about as 馃寛
— Ken Boesem (@KenBoesem)
. and me marrying each other makes us .
— Masc. for Mask (@LingoCat)
We are 馃彸锔�&锄飞箩;馃寛馃挄
— Dean Nelson 馃彸锔�馃寛馃洬 (@GAYWhistler)
馃彸锔�&锄飞箩;馃寛馃懆&锄飞箩;鉂わ笍&锄飞箩;馃懆
— James 馃悵 (@sharrowmore)
Proud Boys members are ardent Trump supporters known for their violent confrontations with antifascists and other ideological opponents at protests, often drawing the largest crowds in the Pacific Northwest. Members have been spotted at various Trump rallies, including earlier this month in Nevada.
- With files from the Canadian Press.
