Drag Story Hour advocates worked tirelessly to drown out the calls of angry protesters in Elmhurst on Tuesday afternoon.
While families arriving at the Elmhurst Library, located at 86-07 Broadway, desired an enjoyable afternoon listening to stories for an hour, they were greeted by fuming protesters who charged that they were there for the youngsters themselves. A small throng of militant hecklers spewed homophobic slurs at demonstrators who attempted to block the hate from reaching the library by shielding them with rainbow umbrellas.
Although the irate agitators declared they were standing up for the safety of the children, local kids looked upon them with fear, unable to understand why they were yelling at the library with such vicious contempt.
“The bigots who are doing the anti-demonstration are accusing them [those in drag] of being groomers, which is ridiculous,” Drag Story Hour defender Jackie Rudin told QNS. “I’m very much in favor of the Drag Story Hours, and I just want to make sure that they’re safe.”
While those protesting the family-friendly event yelled and screamed to “leave our kids alone,” those on the other side attempted to drown out the verbal assaults by banging the railings the NYPD had set up to separate the groups. Police had to pry the protesters a part as the groups became increasingly enraged at one another.
For Rubin, the anti-drag story hour protesters are a symptom of former President Donald Trump, who she asserts allowed people to believe it is okay to attack the LGBTQ community.
“If Trump was never president, they would not be here,” Rubin said.
Similar arguments were made last month when protesters clashed in the West Village over a first-of-its-kind Drag Story Hour Read-A-Thon hosted by Attorney General Letitia James, resulting in one opponent being cuffed.
“Hate has no home in New York, and I will always fight to ensure our LGBTQ+ siblings’ rights are upheld and defended,” James said in a statement last month.
