California police are investigating after a group of men allegedly interrupted a Drag Queen Story Hour at a library in the San Francisco Bay Area.
via: Revolt
Officials say the incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Library located on Paseo Grande in the California Bay Area. There were reports of homophobic and transphobic slurs being yelled at the host.
According to Alameda County Sheriff’s Dept. Lt. Ray Kelly, a drag queen named Panda Dulce (whose real name is Kyle Chu), was reading to preschool-aged children for Drag Queen Story Time when the men stormed the library. The event was a Pride Month celebration.
Yesterday (June 12), Dulce interviewed with KPIX 5 and said, “I’ve always received death threats, hate mail for doing Drag Queen Story Hour. This time it felt very close to violence.”
Dulce continued to describe the situation by adding that between eight to 10 men interrupted the event. The children’s parents were present.
“It was extremely loud. It was like a cacophony of voices just yelling over one another, taunting me, calling me a groomer, a pedophile, a tranny and an ‘it’. [They were] interrogating the parents, ‘Why are you bringing your kids to this?’ I didn’t feel safe because one of them was wearing a shirt with an AK-47 on it. And it said, ‘Kill your local pedophile,’” Dulce recalled.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office said, “The men were described as extremely aggressive with a threatening violent demeanor causing people to fear for their safety. Deputies responded to the scene and were able to de-escalate the situation.”
Rep. Eric Swallwell (D-Dublin), who represents San Lorenzo in Congress, spoke out against the attack.
“We must reject this hate and extremism whenever it shows itself,” he said. “There is no place for this hate in the East Bay, and we all need to speak up with one voice in saying so.”
The event’s official website states, “Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH) is just what it sounds like — drag queens reading stories to children in libraries, schools, and bookstores. DQSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress up is real.”
The men who stormed into “Drag Queen Story Hour” at the San Lorenzo Library were described as members of the Proud Boys Organization. @ACSOSheriffs says an active hate crime investigation is underway.
Im told this video was taken once the situation was “calmer.” pic.twitter.com/5lJYXWZZkS— Stephanie Magallon (@MagallonNews) June 12, 2022
Proud Boys crashed a California drag queen story time library event, acted in a threatening way, and shouted homophobic and transphobic slurs–you know, to protect the children. Yesterday, Idaho police arrested Patriot Front members planning a Pride riot. https://t.co/8vZW8YLwuE
— Jason Colavito (@JasonColavito) June 12, 2022
