Bookstore owner defends calling cops

Black Swan Books in Richmond, Va., bills itself as a quaint, welcoming place — “where old books meet new friends!” — the type of local establishment where the most exciting thing to happen on any given day might be the acquisition of a rare hardcover.

On Saturday afternoon, however, the independent bookstore in Virginia’s capital became the next stop in the roving battle over civility in politics, after a customer spotted former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon inside and confronted-him.

Nick Cooke, the owner of Black Swan Books, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that a woman in his store began verbally accosting Mr. Bannon when she saw him, including calling the former Trump adviser “a piece of trash.” It was shortly afterward that Mr. Cooke decided to call police, he said.

“Steve Bannon was simply standing, looking at books, minding his own business,” Mr. Cooke told the newspaper. “I asked [the woman confronting Mr. Bannon] to leave, and she wouldn’t. And I said, ‘I’m going to call the police if you don’t,’ and I went to call the police and she left. And that’s the end of the story.”

The Richmond Police Department confirmed to the Times-Dispatch that a 911 call was made Saturday but said it was canceled before officers responded.

Mr. Cooke did not elaborate on Mr. Bannon’s history or relationship with the store.

“We are a bookshop,” Mr. Cooke told the Times-Dispatch. “Bookshops are all about ideas and tolerating different opinions and not about verbally assaulting somebody, which is what was happening.”

Mr. Cooke did not respond to an interview request Sunday, and calls to the bookstore went unan-swered or to voice mail.

Mr. Bannon could not be reached for comment Sunday.