Protesters demonstrating against a drag queen reading session for children in New York City were met by more than 100 counter-protesters.
Guardians of Divinity, who describe themselves as “God’s Army,” marched to the Jackson Heights Library in Queens, where a Drag Story Hour event was taking place Thursday afternoon.
But they were met by a larger crowd defending the event at the latest clash in the city after a similar event last week saw Councilor Erik Bottcher’s neighbor attacked.
Police were at the scene of the latest event, keeping the two groups apart as one side paraded signs reading “Stop confusing our children” while the other side waved rainbow umbrellas and flags.
The situation became heated at times, with police shouting at protesters to get off the street after the group was allegedly pelted with projectiles by counter-protesters.
Demonstrators came out to protest Thursday at the Jackson Heights Library in Queens against Drag Story Hour, an event where drag queens read to children
The protest was led and promoted by the group Guardians of Divinity, which bills itself as “God’s Army” and has held similar protests in the city
The group waved signs blasting the event, with counter-protesters and city officials calling them “homophobic” and “transphobic.”
Along with the Guardians of Divinity, members of the far-right group Proud Boys joined the protest outside Queens Library
Three protesters against the drag events sponsored by City Councilman Erick Bottcher (pictured seated at one of the NYC events) were arrested in December
The Story Time event sees drag queens visiting libraries and reading books to children for free, which has been condemned by the Guardians of Divinity, who have repeatedly blasted Bottcher, a gay man, for his support.
The group claims that such events “prompt children to accept sexual behavior and preferences at an age they are too young to understand.”
Ahead of the demonstration, members of the New York City Council released a statement condemning the recent spate of protests and vandalism against Drag Story Hour.
“The harmful, homophobic and transphobic extremism targeting Drag Story Hour events and the New Yorkers who support them, including council members, is vile and dangerous,” the statement said, referring to the attack and vandalism Bottcher’s house last week.
“We will not remain silent or accept these shameful attempts to intimidate and spread hatred, especially after recent incidents which have escalated into violence and put New Yorkers at risk.”
The statement was a joint release by Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council members Shekar Krishnan, Bottcher and Crystal Hudson.
City officials added, “It is particularly troubling that these anti-LGBTQIA+ protesters have focused their harassment on Jackson Heights and Chelsea, two neighborhoods with historical importance as safe communities and organizing centers for the LGBTQIA+ movement in New York City.”
Counter-protesters waved a sign that read “NYC Loves Drag Story Hour” in support of the event.
Pictured: A counter-protester waves signs reading ‘Pull away bigotry’
Police arrived at the scene outside the Jackson Heights Library to disperse the protesting groups, with supporters flashing rainbow umbrellas and flags
The counter-demonstrators lined up in front of the library on Thursday afternoon
Last week, protesters threw profanity and insults outside the event at the Andrew Heiskell Library in the Chelsea neighborhood, according to a video shared by Bottcher.
“Today, before the Drag Queen Story Hour, I witnessed pure hate and bigotry in a Chelsea public library. Inside, I witnessed a loving and peaceful reading of children’s books for children,” Bottcher tweeted.
In recent months, similar events across the country have prompted increasingly violent protests from groups claiming they intend to sexually “groom” young children.
The New York Public Library billed the Chelsea event as “a story hour featuring local drag performers adapted to be more accessible to children with autism and other disabilities.”
There were no reports of injuries or property damage at the protest, and no arrests were made by NYPD officers who were at the scene for security reasons.
Protesters hurled profanity and anti-gay slurs ahead of a drag queen story hour at the Andrew Heiskell Library in the Chelsea neighborhood on Saturday
However, a follow-up protest at Bottcher’s apartment building turned violent when police arrested a 33-year-old man for assaulting one of the city council’s neighbors, the Daily Beast reports.
Video shared by Bottcher shows the neighbor exchanging jabs with two protesters, and as he walks away, one attacks and grabs him off the sidewalk.
The arrest comes after Erica Sanchez, 44, of the Bronx, and D’Anna Morgan, 27, were taken into custody for trespassing and vandalism at Bottcher’s office.
Erica Sanchez, 44, of the Bronx, and D’Anna Morgan, 27, of Queens, (both pictured) were arrested for criminally entering the office and home of 42-year-old council member Erik Bottcher on Monday
Earlier this month, a man was arrested and charged in an altercation with a police officer during similar protests at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation library in midtown Manhattan.
Chase Catapano, 28, was charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, attempted assault and obstruction of government administration.
Catapano was seen protesting with police officers and the group protesting the drag queen event, although it appears he wasn’t in the library specifically for the event and got sucked into the heated drama.
He appears to be homeless and his father told the Daily News he often uses the library’s computers and was likely upset about the disorder due to a mental illness.
Unbeknownst to Catapano, among the crowd of protesters were several officers sent to monitor the demonstration who were stationed inconspicuously among the crowd.
Capatana was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, attempted assault and obstructing government administration, police said