‘Vilification, harassment and nuisance’: Drag queen recounts horror as protesters stormed children’s event

A drag queen has recounted the horror of being confronted by a group of protesters “defending LNP values” at a story time event in a Brisbane library, saying legal action will be taken, as key community members have slammed the actions of the group of “ratbags”.

A DRAG queen involved in a children’s story time event that made national headlines after it was stormed by protesters affiliated with the University of Queensland’s Young Liberal National Club says legal action will be taken against the aggressive mob.

Johnny Valkyrie, who was voted 2019’s Young Transgender Person of the Year, said involvement in the story time event was an opportunity to champion equal rights in the community.

Drag queen mobbed by protesters at children’s event

“My decision to do drag queen’s story time with Rainbow Families Queensland & Brisbane City Council libraries was to provide safe, affirming family entertainment,” Valkyrie said.

Valkyrie’s altruism was thwarted as Drag Queen story time was mobbed by a group of 15-20 aggressive dissidents.

Today, I went to Brisbane Libraries to read to children and families, an event organised by at Brisbane City Council for...

Posted by Johnny Valkyrie on Sunday, 12 January 2020

“Drag queens are not for kids,” the protesters chanted repeatedly, refusing security orders to leave the building.

Witnesses to the event told of crying children and distraught families.

“I was inside during the disruption, trying to calm children and families, distracting them with stickers while we were finishing our craft session,” Valkyrie said.

Video shows the mob swarming Drag Queen presenter “Diamond” who Valkyrie said “bravely confronted (the protesters)”.

The LNP has sought to distance itself from the group. Source: Facebook

“Diamond and I were victim to vilification, harassment and nuisance,” Valkyrie wrote in a Facebook post.

Rainbow Families Queensland Coordinator Holly Zwalf said she was both disappointed and disturbed by the incident.

The hashtag #YoungLiberals is trending on Twitter, as community outrage builds, with celebrities getting in on the criticism of the protesters.

Veronicas star Jessica Origliasso slammed the “screaming group” of protesters for “causing chaos and distress to children and everybody there”.

“Our world – and especially Australia – is in need of love & healing, now more than ever,” Origliasso wrote.

“What they did today was unnecessarily add to the bigotry, division and trauma young children are left to face in today’s society.”

Brisbane MP Trevor Evans lashed out at the protesters, blasting them as “ratbags” who are not members of the LNP.

“The ratbags who protested the event wouldn’t know liberal values if they fell over them,” he said on social media.

“The only LNP connection is that it is an LNP administration in Brisbane City Hall which has been running the Drag Queen Story Time events.

“Last year the LNP resolved to take legal action to stop these ratbags from claiming to be affiliated with the LNP after some other silly stunts.”

He said his election in 2016 had been the first time Queensland had an openly-gay MP, while he was joined by Moncrieff MP Angie Bell at the May election.

“I’m sure I speak for Angie too when I say that I strongly support the LNP administration in Brisbane City Council for holding these events celebrating Brisbane’s diverse community,” Mr Evans said.

Rainbow Families Queensland is urging for anyone with footage of the event or anyone willing to make a witness statement to contact the group.