LANCASTER, Pa. — Saturday’s Drag Queen Story Hour at the Lancaster Public Library was sidelined over safety concerns.
After a series of bomb threats, library officials canceled the event, which had been the subject of controversy earlier this month.
"They had the sheriff’s department [and] fire department out," Lancaster County Democratic Committee Chair Tom O'Brien said. "This shouldn’t have been necessary."
O'Brien was in the area when the incident happened.
He says comments by elected officials earlier this month drew scrutiny on the Drag Queen Story Hour.
"I think it was inflamed by two Republican county commissioners," O'Brien said. "Also adding to the flame was a number of our state representatives that are in this county."
Several elected Republicans openly opposed the library for hosting the event.
In a statement on March 11, House Minority Leader Bryan Cutler released a statement that read in part: "Whether it is in our public schools or our public libraries, the hyper-sexualization of our children at publicly supported institutions must come to an end."
Several other G.O.P. state representatives followed suit with similar statements.
Commissioners Josh Parsons and Ray D’Agostino called the story hour “not age appropriate” for children.
O’Brien believes their comments take away individual rights.
"We have to respect people and their choices," O’Brien said. "They need to be the ultimate decision-makers for them and their children."
Lancaster City Bureau of Police Chief Richard Mendez said in a statement, "Bomb threats will not be tolerated, and we are committed to identifying and prosecuting those responsible."
FOX43 reached out to Commissioners Parsons and D’Agostino today, as well as Representative Cutler for an interview or statement on their comments on yesterday’s incident.
As of 10: 30 p.m. Sunday, we have not received a response.
Inside the library
FOX43 also reached out to Christopher Paolini, a drag performer who goes by Miss Amie and who was supposed to read to attendees, to ask about Saturday's events.
FOX43: What happened?
Christopher Paolini: I arrived at the Library shortly after 9 a.m. and was getting ready to lay out my makeup to start painting my face when the alarms went off and we were told to evacuate. Everything that happened afterward we all got in bits and pieces, but we tried to navigate our next moves in the best way possible. We all decided for the safety of everyone, children especially, to cancel the programs after learning we didn’t have access to the Library until after 1 p.m., our initial start time.
FOX43: Describe how you felt during the events of Saturday.
CP: I was remaining calm and keeping a strong face for everyone because that’s what I have to do as a part of this job. Ultimately, I was disappointed, disheartened, yet surprisingly unfazed because I’ve been dealing with this direct hatred for years, but it’s never escalated into this kind of situation.
FOX43: How do you feel about the comments made by state and local officials promoting the event?
CP: Shame on the state and local officials who purposely misrepresented what actually was going to take place during my programs yesterday at the Library. They dropped a verbal grenade, closed the door, let it explode, sat back to watch hatred and chaos unfold, and then just walked away taking absolutely no accountability for fueling and fanning the flames that incited domestic terrorism in a city full of thousands of people, residents and visitors, that they represent.
They want to say that my programs aren’t safe or appropriate for children, that I’m endangering their welfare and causing trauma. What happened yesterday is what is unsafe, not appropriate, endangers welfare and causes trauma for a whole community of people, young, old, gay, straight, and everyone in between.
FOX43: Does this impact your sense of safety in Lancaster?
CP: I’m glad that safety measures were taken seriously and handled the way they were. I have always felt safe in Lancaster City, nothing like this has ever happened, and I’ve been visiting and performing in Lancaster for many years.
I’m appalled at the events of yesterday. I can’t comprehend this level of hate or judgment. I come from a place of love, and that love is unconditional. It’s completely hypocritical that the only way these people can attempt to “win the day” and “keep innocent lives safe” is by resorting to threats of violence and domestic terrorism toward a wholesome and super fun program promoting kindness and love appropriate for all ages all over the world.
FOX43 reached out to Lancaster Pride following the reported bomb threats. Officials with the organization said that they are concerned about potential threats and acts of violence within the LGBTQ+ community.
"Saturday's threats had a larger reaching impact than usual, and we hope that the larger community will take us more seriously when we talk about the dangers LGBTQ+ folks face," officials with the organization told FOX43.