Bookstore mobilized supportive allies to protect Drag Story Hour from rightwing militia

Photo: Twitter

Anti-LGBTQ bigots continue to threaten drag queen story hours across country – but bookstores are fighting book.

The LGBTQ-owned Montana Book Company – located in Helena – refused to cancel its Drag Story Hour in July after a member of the far-right militia group, Oath Keepers, threatened on social media to “shut this demonic preying on children down.”

Instead, The Guardian reports, the bookstore owners, Chelsia Rice and Charlie Crawford, mobilized as much protection and support as possible so the event could go on.

Rice and Crawford posted to the bookstore’s Instagram page asking for as many people as possible to show up to the event. And one of the queens, Julie Yard of the drag trio Mister Sisters, appealed to the crowds at other events where she was performing.

“I said, what we really need to do now is we need a colossal showing of support,” Yard said. “And [I told them] no matter how many of them show up, I want us to outnumber them 200 to one. And just the whole crowd erupted in cheers.”

On the day of the event, groups of veterans and former law enforcement officers, in addition to about one hundred community supporters, showed up to protect the bookstore.

It wasn’t too surprising that all this help showed up. The bookstore has become…

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