SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 24, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City leaders spoke out against hatred Sunday after a drag queen storytime event at a local book store was canceled due to a bomb threat.
Salt Lake City police responded about 9:30 a.m. to a “suspicious circumstance” at The King’s English Bookshop, 1511 S. 1500 East.
“Officers treated the suspicious circumstance as a potential bomb threat, based on the information they developed while investigating,” the department said in a news release. “They worked with store employees to evacuate the building.”
A K-9 unit from SLCPD’s Airport Division was brought in to investigate and determined there was no threat to the community, police said.
A section of 1500 East from Emerson Avenue to Kensington Avenue was closed during the investigation.
The King’s English opted to close its doors for the rest of the day “for the safety of our booksellers and loyal readers,” according to a sign posted at the bookstore and on social media.
“Thanks for the love everyone,” a Facebook post says.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the actions intended to cause fear and are “not welcome” in Utah’s capital city.
“I cannot say this strongly enough, EVERYONE belongs in Salt Lake City. The actions today to cause fear at @KingsEnglish around a drag story time event are not welcome here. We’re looking forward to working with King’s English so this event can happen at a future date for all those who wanted to be there today,” Mendenhall stated on social media.
The Salt Lake City Council called the threat “a despicable act of hatred” in a statement Sunday.
“We see this as a crime rooted in hate. Our police department is the largest and most thoroughly equipped police department in the state, and we trust they will do everything they can to bring the criminals who targeted our city in this way to justice.
“This isn’t the only act of crime or intimidation that has occurred in our community this year, endangering children, families, and residents. From the destruction of Pride flags at homes in the Central Ninth District to the acts of intimidation outside Tea Zaanti’s all-ages drag show, we strongly condemn behavior that threatens the many diverse communities that make Salt Lake the welcoming and thriving city it is.
“We stand firm in our community’s values of diversity, inclusion, belonging, and the freedom to express one’s true self. Drag is an art form that furthers these values and creates safe spaces to celebrate our differences and proudly share who we are.
“We are grateful for the businesses, artists, and community members who bravely and visibly continue standing up to hate so people of all kinds can feel they belong here. Our city is for everyone, and we will continue to support art and events that boldly proclaim the same.
“We invite all members of our community who have not experienced drag culture to one of the many family-friendly drag shows that happen throughout Salt Lake City so you can see for yourself that this is an art form focused on love and inclusion,” the statement reads.
