Bayard Rustin Center Founder Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber with Harmonica Sunbeam in April. (Photo Credit: Bayard Rustin Center)
A Drag Queen Story Hour at the Bayard Rustin Center For Social Justice located in Princeton, New Jersey, just off the campus of Princeton University, was abruptly called off after police received a bomb threat communicated via an email.
Sarah Salvadore, a field editor for the local Patch reported:
Around 10:49 a.m., the Princeton Police Department received an email from an unknown person containing derogatory remarks aimed at LGBTQIA members and those affiliated with the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ), police said.
Officers were immediately dispatched to the building and the occupants were evacuated. A canine sweep of the building and surrounding area was completed, and no explosive devices were found, police said.
Around 12:40 p.m., the occupants were allowed back into the building.
The police issued a statement on August 28:
“On Saturday, August 26, at 10:49 a.m., the Princeton Police Department received an e-mail communication from an unknown author. The e-mail contained derogatory remarks aimed at LGBTQIA members and those affiliated with the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Additionally, the author stated numerous explosive devices were placed in and around the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice.
“Police officers were dispatched to the building and the occupants were immediately evacuated. A canine sweep of the building and surrounding area was completed, and no explosive devices were found. At about 12:40 p.m., the occupants were allowed back into the building.
“The Detective Bureau is conducting a follow-up investigation into the case. When more information is available, an additional press release will be issued.“
Reacting to the threat, Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber, founder of the Bayard Rustin Center said in a statement:
“The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice is founded on the very principle of building family through community as our queer ancestors have always done. The safe-space we offer to our LGBTQIA youth, intersectional families, & all our beautifully diverse folx is not only a physical entity but indeed something we carry within our hearts & our souls. These despicable actions threatened, this dishonest bigoted rhetoric espoused, this abhorrent hate will only ever be answered by a stronger, braver, & more empowering message of love.
“This darkness will always & ever be dispelled by the light of us gathering together, more resilient & more stalwart in strength & solidarity. This principle was put into direct & robust action today as this bomb threat might’ve kept us from our BRCSJ HQ but did not stop us from gathering together in Beloved Community & in family, chosen & otherwise.”
“We simply took a fabulous field trip down the block to a nearby stoop & shared our stories, created community, & embraced each other, both literally & figuratively, with great respect & even more LOVE! We want to thank all the family & community members who showed up & glowed up today, our Drag Queen Carrie Dragshaw, whose lack of wig was made up by far more spirit, & the Princeton Police Department who were kind & considerate as they did their due diligence to keep us all safe,” Seda-Schreiber added.
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