A group of self-proclaimed “gay anti-groom” protesters targeted the office and apartment building of a New York City councilman on Monday, reportedly over his support of a recent Manhattan drag session. then arrested. library.
“Drag Story Hour protesters came to my apartment building tonight and broke in. My super company called the police and two of them were arrested for trespassing,” 3rd District Councilman Eric Bottcher tweeted Monday. “It’s pure hate, no mask. If they think it scares us, they’re wrong. Our resolve is strengthened.”
After protesters vandalized Bottcher’s office in the Chelsea neighborhood around 3 p.m., they arrived at his apartment building. The NY Daily News reports that the two women were arrested when they broke into the building around 5 p.m. Charges against them are expected Monday night.
on Tuesday, reached out to the New York City Police Department for more information.
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At the same time, Bottcher shared four photos of messages written on the sidewalk in front of the apartment building.
Among the messages that appeared to be written in chalk were, “Well done, groom,” “Eric Bockcher.” [sic] pedo child groom”, “child predators” and “b****er”.
New York City Councilman Eric Bottcher says his office and apartment building have been targeted by anti-LGBTQ vandalism.
(New York City Council)
The event was attended by New York Mayor Eric Adams and US Representative Jerry Nadler, DN.Y.
Adams, who shared Bottcher’s tweet, wrote: “This is weird. Totally weird.” “Eric, you stand up for our city every day and these cowardly bigots have no place here. Thank you to the NYPD for acting quickly and sending a message that this hate cannot stand.”
“I stand with my friend @ebottcher, the Drag Queen Story Hour, and the LGBTQ+ community against this disgusting display of hate,” Nadler added. “Elected officials must condemn this false, dangerous rhetoric that is being used as a new way to discriminate against the community.”
In another tweet, Bottcher shared several photos of the vandalism in the hallway outside his district office.
According to the councillor, a group of people calling themselves “anti-groom gays” had painted the term “B****er”, a crude variation of his last name, on the walls. Bottcher shared three more photos, writing, “They won’t fit us in the cow.” “We will not be silenced. We will continue to stand against hate.”
New York City Councilman Eric Bottcher said Drag Queen Story Hour attendees condemned a message calling him a “child predator” in front of an apartment building.
(New York City Councilman Eric Bottche)
In a related video shared by a council member, an unidentified voice in his office says, “I’d love to crawl around and read the Bible to the kids.” Outside a closed office door, someone replies, “Why don’t you have police officers reading to kids? Why don’t you have firefighters reading to kids? kids?”
“Drag queens only,” shouts a protester outside a locked door. “What’s wrong with Eric? What’s wrong with him? You’re grooming them, Eric? You’re trying to get kids to have sex.”
One or more people are heard knocking and trying to open the door, but it is locked.
“Some gay people in the community don’t approve!” says the voice. – I am one of them.
“Gays are against beauty, they don’t approve of it at all,” adds another voice.
New York City Councilman Eric Bottcher said Drag Queen Story Hour attendees condemned a message that called her a “pedo-child groomer” in front of an apartment building.
(New York City Councilman Eric Bottcher)
Accompanying the video, Bottcher tweeted: This is what happened in our office before the anti-Drag Story Hour crowd destroyed my staff in the hallway. This is not good.’
Another video shared by a council member from a vantage point shows a group of people pushing and screaming in the street below Bottcher’s apartment building. The councilor said it was “a video of Drag Story Hour protesters physically assaulting one of my neighbors last night.”
Drag Story Hour NYC, formerly Drag Queen Story Hour NYC, is a program that produces storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teenagers presented by local drag artists in libraries, schools and other public spaces in all five boroughs of New York. Urban and virtual,” says its website.
In June, the New York Post reported that the program received about $207,000 in taxpayer cash from New York City’s budget for LGBTQ services. The program, which involves performers dressed in cross-dressing to read to and interact with children as young as three, has been criticized for often organizing activities during the school day without parental consent, the report said.
Bottcher reportedly assured protesters outside the latest drag story hour that the children were just being read “normal books” at an event he also attended at the Manhattan Public Library.