Drag queen speaks out after far-right extremists storm children's event at Bay Area library

"I don't feel safe in my own home."

ByTim Johns KGO logo

Monday, June 13, 2022

Drag queen speaks out after Proud Boys storm Bay Area library event

A group of men appeared to be members of extremist group Proud Boys disrupted an LGBTQ+ event for children at the San Lorenzo Library, police say.

SAN LORENZO, Calif. (KGO) -- A children's story time turned into a nightmare Saturday afternoon at the San Lorenzo library.

Bay Area drag queen, Panda Dulce, was co-hosting a kids' reading event in celebration of Pride Month when suddenly the unthinkable happened.

"Eight to ten Proud Boys marched in with their cameras blazing, point at me, jeering from the back," Dulce said.

A group of men believed to be affiliated with the far-right extremist Proud Boys group stormed the event.

They made white power hand gestures as they began hurtling homophobic and transphobic insults at Dulce.

"They said who brought the tranny. It's a groomer. It's a pedophile. Why do you bring your kids to this event," Dulce said.

Dulce was then escorted by security away from the men, and law enforcement was called.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office says they're investigating the incident and have activated their hate crime protocols.

While that's come as a comfort for Dulce, she worries that incidents like these are organized and increasing.

She's calling on all those opposed to stand up to extremism.

"I think now is the time to unite and to come together as a united front," Dulce said.

Not just for her, but also for the children.

Dulce, who is Ivy League educated and has over a decade's experience in social work says, many of them were terrified.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to tell you a story. That's it. I just want to tell you a story," said Dulce.

The event has come under heavy scrutiny from both local leaders, as well as the San Lorenzo library.

"I really believe that libraries are places where everyone is welcome. We are open to every member of our community, and we can't be bowed or intimidated by these kinds of threats. This is not what we're going to stand for," said Alameda County Librarian, Cindy Chadwick.

And while it's left it's mark on Dulce, "A lot of people are asking me like, do you feel safe? Are you okay? And the answer is no, I don't. I don't feel safe in my own home," she said.

She's determined not to be a victim.

Dulce says she's not going anywhere, and is determined to never let fear and intimidation stop her from doing the things she loves.

"They were successful in scaring us, but they weren't successful in their ultimate goal which is to make us go away because of their own discomfort with the diversity of our world. They failed in that," Dulce said.