The Karen Read murder trial circus became a bit chaotic on Friday, with Read supporters and detractors clashing for the first time outside the Dedham courthouse.

Read — who is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston cop John O’Keefe — has had an army of fans clad in pink outside the trial since it started in April.

Then on Friday, a group of Read critics showed up with signs that stated: “Karen Read killed a man!” “Karen Read is guilty!” “Rot in jail” “This is about Officer John O’Keefe, not you!” “Guilty.”

The Read supporters and detractors clashed along High Street next to the courthouse and in front of First Church and Parish, outside of the court’s buffer zone as police got between the groups. The clash happened around 1 p.m. after the jury noted that they’re deadlocked.

The detractors claimed that some of Read’s supporters showed up to a VFW to harass O’Keefe’s family on Thursday, as the jury was deliberating.

“The O’Keefe family has been harassed relentlessly including yesterday when these circus animals went down there to harass the O’Keefe family,” Elisa Bennett told reporters. “Have some respect — a man has died. He has lost his life.”

Another Read critic, Julie Gunto, said Read hired Aidan Kearney, also known as “Turtleboy” to launch a PR campaign.

“As you can see, it worked,” Gunto said. “This is an absolute disgrace to John and his family.”

Meanwhile, those supporting Read maintain that she’s not guilty, and are blaming the case on police “corruption.”

“It is blatant, and it’s in our faces,” said Nick Rocco, who’s closely connected to Read and her defense team. “If we don’t wake up, it’s going to be you next, and it’s going to be me next, and it’s going to be everybody here next.”

Rocco said he has been helping fund Read’s defense, and claimed that he helped raise $250,000.

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Rita Lombardi, who’s a lead member of the “Free Karen Read” movement, claimed that Canton residents have been “subjected to domestic terrorism.”

“We have seen a complete role reversal in this case,” Lombardi said. “We have seen the Commonwealth be the ones to gaslight, and we have seen the defense present unrefutable, scientific evidence to prove she was not the one who killed John O’Keefe.”

Karen Read supporters rally after Read detractors confronted them at the murder trial on Friday. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
Karen Read detractors rally at the murder trial on Friday. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)