COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a social media post Saturday night, the Columbus chapter of the Ohio Proud Boys promised to return if a story-time event featuring drag performers is rescheduled at a Columbus private school.
The post was in response to a video statement from Cheryl Ryan, the manager of the Red Oak Community School, which along with a unitarian universalist church, had planned to play host to a story-time reading event featuring drag performers on Saturday.
But the event was canceled after a security dispute among the organizers following dozens of protesters from the Proud Boys and other groups which showed up in Clintonville.
The Proud Boys have been described as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC’s website says Proud Boys in recent months have made a habit of attending LGBTQ events. The Proud Boys members have also been prosecuted for their roles in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, which temporarily disrupted the certification of the 2020 election.
Dozens of protesters including members of far-right group the Proud Boys and other groups protested Saturday’s event, alleging the performers were “grooming” those in attendance. That led to heated debates between LGBTQ supporters who said those assertions are false.
Ryan, the school manager, was also critical of city leaders and Columbus police during a speech posted online Saturday after the school canceled a story-time reading event it called “Holi-drag storytime.”
“So it turns out our biggest problem wasn’t the Proud Boys after all. I implore community leaders to consider how this could’ve gone differently… how will they do better for the next drag story-time when the Proud Boys threaten to show up again, which they will.”
The Columbus chapter of the Ohio Proud Boys posted on social media “You’re damn right we will. That’s a promise.”
Ryan provided an update statement to 10TV Monday evening, saying the school will put on another drag story time event. The full statement can be read here.