NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Anti-LGBTQ protesters gathered outside a Chelsea special needs library in Chelsea on Saturday morning in an attempt to disrupt a Drag Story Hour event there.
New York City Drag Story Hour, a non-profit that organizes storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, hosted a reading event at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library at 11 a.m.
The library provides talking books and braille for people who are blind or otherwise unable to read standard print.
The event was able to continue as planned, though the demonstrators shouted slurs at people coming in and out of the library and held signs against “grooming” — a baseless dog whistle meant to portray all gay and trans people as pedophiles determined to brainwash children into becoming gay themselves.
“A group of protesters attempted to disrupt a Drag Story Hour for neurodiverse children,” said the New York Public Library system in a statement. “The story hour went on as planned, including readings, coloring activities and a ‘dance party’ at the end. Our patrons enjoy Drag Story Hour, and the Library will continue to offer programs that support a diverse array of voices. This is particularly important at this moment when we are seeing a rise of hate and violence targeting LGBTQ+ communities.”
NYC Councilman Erik Bottcher attended the event, and posted a video on Twitter of anti-gay protesters yelling.
“Today I witnessed pure hatred and bigotry outside Drag Queen Story Hour at a public library in Chelsea,” he wrote on Twitter. “Inside, I witnessed a loving and peaceful reading of children’s books to kids.”
Counter protesters stood between the library’s entrance and the anti-gay demonstrators.
No one was injured, no property was damaged and no arrests were made at the event.
As right-wing media and politicians increasingly push a narrative that falsely labels gay and trans people as pedophiles conspiring to corrupt children, protest and intimidation at all-ages drag events has become commonplace. So has the inevitable counter protests attempting to shield families from harassment.
Protesters picketed a Drag Story Hour on Staten Island Dec. 3. That same day, a similar event in Ohio was shut down by armed right-wing groups.
The violent rhetoric has translated into physical attacks as well.
On Nov 19., five people were killed and 18 were injured at a drag performance at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The shooting took place on a Saturday night, during a drag show for adults. An all-ages drag show was planned at the venue the next day.
