Protestors Peacefully Gathered Near Drag Queen Storytime In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NH — An event at a local independent bookstore on Elm Street brought people to the event and protestors outside on the sidewalk and street on Saturday.

The Bookery sold tickets to a special event that was featured in an online ad as "Drag Queen Storytime with Ivy League.”

The post said, "The Bookery is proud to have local queen, Ivy League, for a fun storytime featuring 'Billy the Bee,' books by Peter Thomas” An online post said Ivy League (she/her) is an award-winning drag queen based in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. You can find her on Instagram (@missivyleague) and Twitter (@IvyLOderia).

Now more than ever, with the challenges that we are surrounded by on a daily basis, it is so important to fill our children with as much positive re-enforcement as we possibly can and this is my solemn promise to you! That every “Adventures of Billy Bee,” story that you bring into your home will be a wonderful story that will leave every child between the ages of 1 to 121 excited and filled with great heartwarming feelings of positive re-enforcement.

The Bookery announced on social media that they had sold out tickets for the event and would be closed to anyone not attending.

As adults arrived at the event, they walked through a small crowd of people displaying signs and carrying flags and entered the Bookery for the event.

Many of the people outside the event wore face masks and had apparel identifying them as being associated with "Proud Boys.” Many of the signs emphasized that it was not appropriate for kids to attend the event.

A woman who used a megaphone to speak to the crowd said they would not be there if there were no children involved in the event.

Some people walking in the area of the event cheered the protestors, while others criticized them for being there. A person who was on the sidewalk for about 20 minutes said he identified as transgender and yelled at the protestors but there was no physical interaction.

The event was scheduled to last 30 minutes, but when it ended, patrons appeared to exit the Bookery using an alternative exit.

Manchester police had several officers visible in the area sitting in cruisers and members of the SWAT unit were in vehicles near the event.

The original protestors were peaceful and there was no violence involved. After the group wearing the Proud Boys gear left the area, a man carrying a small piece of paper with handwriting taunted a few remaining protestors. The man who showed up after the event kicked signs that were displayed by the protestors and then threatened a woman that he would stab her.

As the interaction occurred, police spoke to the woman who was threatened and left after viewing a video she had of the threat and violence. It is unknown if the man was found or if any charges were brought against him.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news