| Guardians of Divinity | |
| Key People: | David Nieves |
| Location: | New York City |
The Guardians of Divinity are a far-right group based in New York City.[1] [2] The group originally started in opposition to vaccine and mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic before shifting their focus in 2022 to protesting in opposition to Drag Story Hour (DSH) events.
The Guardians of Divinity started as an anti-vaccine and anti-mask mandate group during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] [3] According to a 2023 Institute for Strategic Dialogue report, in about September 2022, the group began to focus on activism against Drag Story Hour (DSH) events, and "Since then, the group has orchestrated 21 anti-drag events (averaging 3 events a month), 16 of which have ended with verbal or physical clashes between Guardians of Divinity and either counter-protestors or event attendees."[4]
On social media, they claim Drag Story Hour events are "grooming" children,[5] and have used social media to promote content from groups such as Libs of TikTok and Gays Against Groomers, as well as QAnon conspiracy and COVID-19 vaccine disinformation.[4] Unicorn Riot reported the Guardians of Divinity website was hosted in an account managed by Paula Grooms, and the website was down after comment was requested, but Unicorn Riot found an archived version.[6] David Nieves, who also goes by "King Jesus", is a leading member.[6]
Independent reporter Talia Jane began posting about the group on Twitter in September 2022, and in January 2023 said the group had targeted ten DSH events in NYC.[3] According to The New York Times in December 2022, the group has "shown up at several Drag Story Hour events in Jackson Heights, Queens."
On October 18, 2022, they disrupted a community forum hosted by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[1] On December 7, a group of about 20 anti-DSH protestors reportedly organized by Guardians of Divinity protested a bilingual DSH event at the Midtown New York Public Library.[7]
On December 29, a group estimated to include "more than two dozen members" of Proud Boys and Guardians of Divinity demonstrated outside of a DSH event at the Jackson Heights Library, and were counterprotested by an estimated 150 DSH supporters,[5] including Jews For Racial and Economic Justice.[3] Police worked to keep the protesters and counterprotesters on opposite sides of the street, and the DSH event in the library was not disrupted.[5]
On February 24, 2023, Nieves and another individual with a Guardians of Divinity sign were part of a small anti-DSH protest outside of the Jackson Heights branch of the Queens Public Library, which consisted of about six to ten anti-DSH protesters, and was met by about 100 counterprotesters outside who supported the DSH event in the library.[8] [9]
Alex Stein, a Blaze TV host, promoted Nieves at one event.[10]