Greater than 100 people showed as much as attend a drag story time at a St. Paul library Saturday morning despite reported threats to kill the librarians holding the event.
Librarians speaking at a city council meeting this week said that they had received death threats from people claiming they’d dress like ninjas and beat the librarians to death if the Drag Story Hour happened.
The story hour, created by Pedro Pepa, has been held greater than 10 times within the Twin Cities, including performances at Powderhorn Park, Pillsbury House Theatre, Walker Art Center, The Loft Literary Center, Moon Palace Books and Wild Rumpus Books.
Organizers say the shows “are created with an empowering theme: resilience, kindness, self-love, friendship, etc.”
The event on the Arlington Hills Public Library was peaceful despite dozens who gathered outside—some protesting the event, others there to support the families that attended. A minimum of a dozen cops stood on a lawn nearby while other squad cars were staged in locations in the encircling neighborhood.
Library officials estimated about 30 protesters were gathered on the corner of the library’s driveway on Payne Avenue in the course of the event while near 100 counter-protesters supporting the event lined the sidewalk leading as much as the front door holding blankets, tarps and quilts to shield the kids from the protesters. They cheered as individuals with children arrived, escorting them from their cars or the road and welcoming them.
Katrina Dombrowsky brought her 3-year-old son to the story time specifically since it was performed by drag queens, she said.
“I wanted a fun outing for my family,” she said. “I wanted to return have fun gender expression and have a great time.”
She said she wasn’t surprised to see the protesters but was “a bit sad.”
Nevertheless, when she saw the counter-protesters she got emotional.
“They showed up even stronger than the protesters. It made me feel heartened and welcomed,” she said. “I’m really glad the library is doing this. It’s essential now we have this program. It’s not only a window but a mirror. It’s a program that’s inclusive of our diverse community so families can see themselves reflected and in addition experience learning about those that are different.”
‘NOT HERE TO BASH ANYBODY’
Most of the protesters stationed at Payne Avenue wore masks and lots of wore shirts and hats identifying themselves as members of the Proud Boys, referred to as a far-right, neo-fascist and exclusively male organization. They describe themselves in a different way, saying they’re “members of a pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the fashionable world, aka Western Chauvinists.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Proud Boys a hate group. They are saying Proud Boys members have expressed white supremacist and racist rhetoric.
Most members of the group declined to provide their names to reporters Saturday.
Nevertheless, one man who identified himself as Mark Ninevah held an indication that read, “Don’t care about your gender ID, lifestyle preferences. Protect our kids.”
He said the Proud Boys had “gays in our group and now we have all races in our group.”
“We’re not here to bash anybody,” he said. “We don’t need to hate anybody. We’re here because we don’t think this is acceptable for kids.”
‘KEEPING AN OPEN MIND’
Jack Byers was one in every of the counter-protesters holding up a blanket and cheering on families as they entered. He said he showed as much as “support librarians and families and children.”
“Education is about keeping an open mind. Those folks are narrow-minded and so they expect the world to evolve to their standpoint,” he said.
Interim Library Director Barb Sporlein said the library was aware of the planned protest and “coordinated with our partners to make sure a protected and successful event.”
In a written statement, Sporlein said the event was a “joyful, family-friendly gathering where greater than 100 people got here to have fun expansive gender expression and luxuriate in stories, music, dance, and art. Drag Story Hour performances are designed specifically for kids and their caring adults and have universally empowering themes of resilience, kindness, and self-love.”
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter attended the event. On his way into the library, he stopped first to talk to members of the protest group. He thanked them for being there and told them he respected their right to specific themselves.
A couple of of the protesters spoke to him while others derided him including one man with a megaphone who said, “I don’t need to hear anything you’ve got to say. Go on in there with the drag queen story hour that you just are promoting. You’re a coward. You promote drag queens reading to children. You’re a coward.”
Then Carter moved on to greet the counter-protesters. He addressed them with a borrowed megaphone and thanked the gang for being there.
“I respect everybody’s ability to return here and express who they’re and what they consider. And if their goal is to be the one ones who get to do this then I don’t respect that very much. We don’t honor that,” he said. “Should you are here to guard beauty in our community, should you are here to guard our identities and our abilities to specific ourselves respectfully, then do all of these items.”