Following the invitation of a controversial anti-Catholic group, thousands of protesters picketed the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Pride Night event this week. The controversy stems from the Dodgers’ invitation of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who many critics believe mock Christianity during their performance.
Protesters gathered outside of Dodger Stadium prior to the event Friday. The LGBT organization was set to receive the Community Hero Award prior to the game against the division rival San Francisco Giants.
DODGER STADIUM-The “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” are recognized for Pride night to a mostly empty audience.
Two Dodgers fan nearby begin loudly booing after they’re announced: pic.twitter.com/OO6NT5RIc8
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 17, 2023
The organization was originally set to headline the team’s Pride Night game this month. However, the Dodgers pulled their endorsement of the group, which led to significant protests from LGBT groups. Following the pushback, the team agreed again to invite the group for a ceremony before the game.
The second invitation led to criticism among players themselves, including Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw pushed for the team to restart its Christian Faith and Family Day, which was last performed prior to the pandemic.
“Yes, it was in response to the highlighting of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” he said.
“I don’t agree with making fun of other people’s religions,” Kershaw said. “It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion. So that’s something that I definitely don’t agree with.”
The Dodgers set the faith-based day for Jul. 30. The pitcher said that he was “grateful for the opportunity to talk about Jesus and determined to make it bigger and better than it was before COVID.”
The group includes former Biden administration official Sam Brinton, who has been accused of stealing luggage from several airports. The former official was the head of the organization’s Washington D.C. branch.
Brinton operates in the group under the stage name Sister Ray Dee O’Active. Brinton was fired from a position at the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy following the allegations of baggage thefts.
The former official was accused of stealing from airports in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Washington and Las Vegas. He was arrested in Maryland last month.
