Former Wikileaks whistleblower, and now US Senate candidate Chelsea Manning made a surprise appearance at Saturday night’s ‘A Night for Freedom’ gala in New York City.
The party celebrated the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Manning tweeted early Saturday morning: ‘[C]rashed the fascist/white supremacist hate brigade party. [A]ll selfies were denied #CrashtheFash #WeGotThis #NightForFreedom.’
However, several who attended the gala told BuzzFeed News all indications were that interactions inside the event were not only respectful and polite, but that she was there to try to ‘build a bridge’ between the left and the right.
Former Wikileaks whistleblower, and now US Senate candidate Chelsea Manning made a surprise appearance at Saturday night’s ‘A Night for Freedom’ gala in New York City and claimed she was ‘gatecrashing’ the party (tweet above)
The gala celebrated the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration (Pictured, an attendee poses with pro-Trump social media personality Mike Cernovich, left, while holding his book ‘Gorilla Mindset’ at the ‘A Night for Freedom’ gala on Saturday)
However, several attendees said interactions were not only respectful but that she was there to try to ‘build a bridge’ between the left and the right (Pictured, Vice magazine co-founder Gavin McInnes speaks on stage with members of the Proud Boys organization at the ‘A Night For Freedom’ gala on Saturday)
Manning was apparently seen socializing with attendees such as far-right media personalities James O’Keefe, Mike Cernovich (tweet above) and Cassandra Fairbanks
In the early hours of the party, Manning was apparently seen socializing with attendees such as far-right media personalities James O’Keefe, Mike Cernovich and Cassandra Fairbanks.
Fairbanks, who reports for Gateway Pundit, has been a vocal supporter of Wikileaks and has exchanged messages with Manning on Twitter.
Manning is a transgender former Army private who was convicted of leaking thousands of sensitive government documents to WikiLeaks and is now running for US Senate from Maryland as an anti-Trump Democrat.
‘A source who attended and who knows Manning told BuzzFeed News that “while she was not there protesting, she was there in a effort to bridge gaps between left and right”,’ BuzzFeed reported.
Cernovich, who founded the website ‘Danger & Play’, tweeted: ‘Yes I literally shook hands with Chelsea Manning tonigut [sic], the left is freaking out, it was not a big deal. It was a huge and amazing party. Glad she stopped by. All are welcome to party with me.’
Fairbanks, who reports for Gateway Pundit, has been a vocal supporter of Wikileaks and has exchanged messages with Manning on Twitter (above)
One pro-Trump Twitter personality told BuzzFeed: ‘Honestly, her being here shows what this movement is really about (Pictured, people dance at the ‘A Night For Freedom’ gala on Saturday)
Outside of the venue, about one hundred protesters showed up and harassed some party-goers (Pictured, an attendee poses with podcaster Stefan Molyneux, left, at the ‘A Night For Freedom’ gala on Saturday)
One pro-Trump Twitter personality told BuzzFeed: ‘Honestly, her being here shows what this movement is really about.
‘We’re not ideological, we’re tribal. We don’t care about the politics as much as we care about pissing people off and trolling and shaking things up. She’s about liberty, we’re about liberty, it’s all good. No bad blood at all.’
However, outside of the venue, about one hundred protesters showed up and harassed some party-goers, whichprompted Cernovich to accuse the protesters of being terrorists.
One protester allegedly punched a 56-year-old Trump supporter, who was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and is currently listed in stable condition, the New York Post reported.
David Campbell, 30, was arrested and charged with strangulation, assault, resisting arrest, loitering, criminal possession of a weapon and obstruction of government administration, police said.