A community in the New South Wales Illawarra has rallied in support of a Rainbow Storytime event despite protests from far-right groups.
Key points:
- Dozens of Thirroul residents have rallied in support of the Rainbow Storytime event
- Right-wing protesters brandished signs that condemned drag queens reading to children
- Wollongong Council says the event is about “fostering love of reading and literacy”
Dozens of residents at Thirroul, in Wollongong’s northern suburbs, held up flags and signs defending the storytime session at the local library on Saturday, where drag-queen Miss Roxee read books to children and their parents.
The “welcome event” staged outside the library was organised following the cancellation of many Pride events across the country due to threats from conspiracy theorists and conservative groups targeting local councils.
“What I think is really amazing is that actually, the majority of our community here in the Illawarra do support these events, and the LGBTQI community,” organiser Miranda Gibson said.
“They’ve come out to say we want more of these accepting events that show the diversity of our community.
“I think it shows that we have a really accepting community.”
On the opposite side of the road, a small crowd of people wearing black balaclavas and T-shirts emblazoned with the symbol “88” — belonging to neo-Nazi group Activ88 — brandished Australian flags and signs condemning the event.
“Inclusion does not equate to child gender confusion,” one sign read.
“Don’t drag kids into this,” read another.
The protesters declined to comment.
‘True colours’ on show
New South Wales Police officers were called to the area, but a spokesperson said nobody was arrested or charged as the protest was conducted “without incident”.
The protest followed a decision in March by the Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club to cancel its nippers’ carnival due to the concerns for the community’s safety during Pride Week.
Following Saturday’s Rainbow Storytime event more community members took to Facebook to show their support for inclusion and diversity.
“I was pretty appalled at the display of hatred and ignorance I saw. But also buoyed by the clear majority of support on show,” wrote one resident.
“The counter protest is where Thirroul showed it’s true colours, and they’re all the colours of the rainbow,” wrote another.
Wollongong Council said the Rainbow Storytime event was just one of the many activities it offered at its libraries as part of a variety of events, services and activities it provided the community.
“It was council’s fifth Rainbow Storytime event and everyone in the room is there to have fun and get into the spirit of the book reading,” council’s manager of library and community services Jenny Thompson said.
“While we acknowledge that Rainbow Storytime events do not interest everyone in our community, this event is — at its heart — about fostering a love of reading and literacy.”
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Source: abc.net.au
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