Waltham Public Library Dons Safety Pin to Combat Xenophobia

WALTHAM, MA – Almost immediately after the election of Donald Trump as the next Commander-in-Chief, a new trend began sweeping across social media in the United States.

People started posting pictures of themselves wearing empty safety pins, representing a "safe ally" who stands in solidarity with victims of hate crimes following the recent election.

The idea started on Twitter after Brexit, the referendum allowing Britain to leave the European Union, passed in June. Now, following a polarizing and unprecedented election, the #safetypin trend has hopped the pond.

The Waltham Public Library on Tuesday joined the #safetypin movement, posting a picture on social media of a person wearing a pin to show its support for all groups.

In a Facebook post, staff wrote that the library is a safe place for people from all backgrounds:

Waltham: You are safe in your public library. On any given day, we help Latinos, Muslims, African-Americans, immigrants from all corners of the globe, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, the houseless, the unemployed, and disenfranchised people from all backgrounds. As a public library, we have a professional responsibility to provide inclusive services, support civil discourse, and direct users to accurate information. We reiterate this commitment to you. You will always be welcome at the Waltham Public Library.

Image via Pixabay