THUNDER BAY — City police are investigating a bomb threat that cancelled a weekend event at a Thunder Bay library.
The threat was sent via email to the Mary J.L. Black location, which was hosting a Thunder Bay Drag Queens Story Time event.
Police were made aware of the threat on Saturday before the event, which was subsequently cancelled and the library closed.
Investigators secured the scene and determined there was no credible threat in the area. Police are conducting a thorough investigation.
A police release said, "Incidents like this are a significant draw on police resources and are disruptive and disparaging to many community members. While people have the right to voice or demonstrate views that oppose inclusivity initiatives, those who choose to break the law are subject to criminal charges."
Rainbow Collective, Thunder Pride and Wiggins Production released a joint statement regarding the incident.
"Attacking Story Time with Drag Queens with a bomb threat not only undermines the safety of the participants and attendees but also aims to instill fear and division within the community.
This reprehensible act not only disrupts the event but also sends a chilling message that spaces of inclusion and celebration can be threatened, discouraging individuals from participating in similar initiatives in the future."
Scotia Kauppi, the chair of Thunder Pride, called the threat disgusting and the people making it "hypocritical."
"I think it's very silly that people who are on the other side of this, for us a non-issue but for an issue they've created, is that they want to talk about parental rights . . . Yet they do this to make choices for children that aren't theirs and where the parents have already made that choice for their children.
"I think it's very hypocritical that no one's protesting them going to their children's events that they choose to go to that fall in line with their family views, but they'll send death threats and bomb threats to us."
The joint statement detailed that a meeting with the police chief and senior police leadership will be held in April with both Rainbow Collective and Thunder Pride to discuss safety and security concerns with Thunder Bay’s 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and the escalating numbers of hate incidents in Thunder Bay.
The library's CEO, Richard Togman, said the library will continue to host future LGBTQ2IA events.
"I think we'll be taking a cautious approach but one that we want to move forward boldly on.
"We're talking with the LGBTQ+ community right now, with the drag queens themselves, to make sure that they feel safe and secure. We'll be working closely with the police on the investigation, but also on any preventative measures that we can take ahead of time to make sure that everyone feels welcome, that it's a safe event that people are coming to."
