Western Daily Press (Saturday)

Pride bosses hit out at Story Hour protests

- TRISTAN CORK tristan.cork@reachplc.com

ORGANISERS of Bristol Pride have condemned the attacks and protests against a Drag Queen Story Hour event tour in Bristol which saw some of the readings for parents and children cancelled.

Bristol Pride said that children “are not born with hatred, they learn it’” and supported the libraries for putting on the events to “showcase inclusion and diversity”.

A Bristol-born drag queen, Aida, was booked for her children’s story time hour at six libraries across Bristol over two days - Thursday and yesterday - but a couple of events were cancelled because of protests and counter-protests outside.

She pledged to return to Henleaze Library, where the first event of three on Thursday was postponed.

Another story hour event at Filwood Broadway Library was also called off yesterday as protesters continued to gather outside the library shouting abuse at parents and children going in.

Other events in Hillfields, Stockwood and Easton went ahead.

In a statement, Bristol Pride, which recently saw two weeks of events to continue to protest for equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people, and celebrate diversity conclude with a march and one-day festival at The Downs which thousands of people attended, said the abuse being shouted at children was ‘tired.’

“Just weeks after the city came together to celebrate Pride we are saddened to see hateful protesters attacking diversity and inclusion events at Bristol libraries with tired homophobic and transphobi­c tropes,” a spokespers­on said.

“We condemn these actions and support the libraries and performers who are using storytelli­ng to showcase inclusion and diversity, bring joy and engage young people in reading skills.

“Children are not born with hatred, they learn it. They also can learn of inclusion and acceptance to grow up better adults than those that use fear and intimidati­on against parents and children to spread bigotry and hatred,” they added.

Each library event on Thursday was met with a gathering of protesters who claimed that having a drag queen reading stories to children and their parents in libraries was ‘grooming’.

Each protest was countered by a group of other protesters who said they were there to support the event and defend the parents and children, and library staff. The issue sparked a heated debate on social media. The vast majority were supportive of the events, comparing it with Britain’s long tradition of panto dames and drag acts, including Mr Tumble on CBeebies.

 ?? Paul Gillis / Reach Plc ?? Protesters clash with police at one of Thursday’s events
Paul Gillis / Reach Plc Protesters clash with police at one of Thursday’s events
 ?? Picture: Paul Nicholls ?? Bristol-based street artist Harriet Wood, of Hazardone, working on her artwork at Gloucester Road in Cheltenham on Friday in advance of the Cheltenham Paint Festival taking place this weekend
Picture: Paul Nicholls Bristol-based street artist Harriet Wood, of Hazardone, working on her artwork at Gloucester Road in Cheltenham on Friday in advance of the Cheltenham Paint Festival taking place this weekend

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