Republican candidates speak out at 'Moms for Liberty' Summit
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A conservative mom said her recent trip to the Moms for Liberty summit in Philadelphia was marked by "frightening experiences," with protesters at one point threatening to take away her 6-month-old baby.
Bethany Mandel, the co-author of "Stolen Youth" and mother of six, described the protesters' actions over the weekend as a "hate-filled siege" filled with "demonic" leftist activists.
On the first day of the Joyful Warriors National Summit, protesters congregated behind the Museum of the American Revolution barricade as attendees walked into the welcome reception. They called out a variety of chants amid a heavy Philadelphia Police presence. Some signs read "Stop homophobia" and "God is trans."
The Moms for Liberty staff had arranged tour buses to shuttle Mandel and others to the museum. But when she arrived, a large group of agitated protesters who claimed to be "protesting hate" began screaming at her group.
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Protesters descended on Philadelphia as former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis gave remarks at the Moms for Liberty gathering. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)
"They frighteningly yelled at me, threatening to take my 6-month-old baby, whom I was wearing on my chest in a carrier," she wrote in an opinion piece published by The New York Post.
While walking through the museum, Mandel noticed a staffer who appeared suspiciously angry. Back at the Marriott hotel, she saw the same woman hugging one of the protesters.
The woman recognized Mandel and the staffer's friend followed the Moms for Liberty group down the street, again yelling about taking Mandel's child.
Mandel expanded on her Post op-ed in a text message to Fox News Digital, saying she "took it as a threat" both times that someone made remarks referring to her baby.
"Not one I was frightened by," she added.
Police guard a barricade as protesters hold signs outside the Moms for Liberty summit in Philadelphia. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)
At the end of the weekend, an activist known as "Billboard Chris" left the Marriott with a sandwich board that read "Children cannot consent to puberty blockers" adorned around his body.
According to Mandel, the protester swiftly jumped the police barricade, entering the hotel property. Moments later, law enforcement pinned the trespasser to the ground and handcuffed the individual.
Looking back on the weekend, Mandel said the harassment inflicted by protesters was "scary" but did little to dent the enthusiasm of the summit attendees. She noted that attendees did not get angry or apologize for their views and characterized Moms for Liberty as a "group of joyful warriors" set on protecting America's children "at all costs."
Bethany Mandel said the protesters' actions did nothing to deter the jovial mood of attendees at the summit. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)
The weekend was also filled with moments of learning and activism. Workshops allowed speakers to talk about campaign strategies and mothers connected over meals about important issues like education, politics and the best ways to benefit their respective communities.
As the weekend drew to a close, Mandel said Marriott staff lined up and cheered the summit attendees, a gesture she surmised was evidence the hotel employees had refuted protester accusations that mothers were "bullies" or "bigots."
"Now the weekend can serve as a case study in how leftist bullies smear and harass opponents — and how mere moms can punch back with mere smiles on their faces," she said.
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Issues surrounding the Moms for Liberty event, which included appearances from former President Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Govs. Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson, and Vivek Ramaswamy, began before the summit had even started.
The event at the Museum of the American Revolution received considerable backlash from the community since its announcement, and Moms for Liberty's official Twitter account announced on June 29 the museum had been vandalized overnight.
The tweet featured three photos showing a sign and mural defaced, as well as a broken window.
Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.