Ohio drag queen storytime canceled amid armed protests by far-right groups

A drag storytime occasion in Ohio was canceled Saturday after members of far-right teams gathered close to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, the place the studying was scheduled to be held.

The “Holi-Drag Storytime,” which was organized by Purple Oak Group Faculty, was set to characteristic three drag queens studying to kids of ages and performing a “few vacation numbers.”

In accordance with The Related Press, 50-70 members of the Ohio chapters of the Proud Boys and the Patriot Entrance stood alongside the roads main as much as the church, touting weapons, tactical gear, and face masks that obscured their identities. Protesters chanted “life, liberty, victory” and “reclaim America,” amongst different slogans, and a few are seen giving a Nazi salute, in line with footage recorded by Brendan Gutenschwager. 

The teams had beforehand posted their plans to protest the occasion to the messaging app, Telegram. 

Cheryl Ryan, faculty supervisor at Purple Oak, delivered a tearful assertion from the stage the place the occasion was presupposed to have taken place. Ryan stated the cancellation occurred resulting from disagreement “about how this group might be greatest protected.” 

“I spent per week calling our police division and leaving voicemails in regards to the studies we had seen,” stated Ryan. “After per week, I used to be advised we might rent a particular obligation officer, who might or might not present up as a result of they’re understaffed.”

“Ultimately our performers felt unsafe with no police presence, whereas our [community] security group felt unsafe with a police presence,” Ryan stated, explaining that even with continued efforts by the group to safe correct safety for the occasion, they have been unable to achieve an settlement with native police.

In an announcement posted to Fb, the Columbus Police Division known as Ryan’s assertion “incorrect,” writing that they’d had a number of face-to-face assembly with organizers from each the church and the varsity to plot a security plan.

“CPD pulled collectively assets from a number of models to ensure we have been current, together with officers from our bike patrol and dialogue group, the assertion learn. “Regardless that the occasion was canceled, we nonetheless had personnel and officers within the space to ensure all events have been secure.”

“The Columbus Division of Police protects all residents of town equally. We’ve had a number of conferences with the LGBTQ group and proceed to work collectively in partnership to ensure they really feel supported and guarded in any respect of their occasions,” the submit continued.

In accordance with Ryan, the varsity “offered virtually 1,000 tickets” for the “Holi-Drag,” which had raised greater than $5,000 for a neighborhood LGBTQ charity.

A small group of counter-protesters additionally attended the occasion, and held rainbow and transgender flags to point out their help, in line with extra video from Gutenschwager. 

LGBTQ organizations in central Ohio had requested counter-protesters to abstain from any motion upfront of the occasion. In accordance with Columbus LGBTQ outlet, The Buckeye Flame, a coalition of teams issued an announcement saying “this case is doubtlessly unstable and harmful and, the protection of the kids, households, performers and our group, are of paramount significance and our actions have to be in service to their safety.”

The Proud Boys is a far-right group, and has been referred to by the FBI as an “extremist group with ties to white nationalism,” in line with a leaked inner doc. Their founder, Enrique Tarrio, has been charged with seditious conspiracy in connection to the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.