Photo: Andrew Warner and 123RF
Rotorua Library's Rainbow Storytime event has been cancelled due to security concerns amid "hostile dialogue" and "rapid spread of misinformation", the council says.
It comes after Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki last week pledged to shut down the event prompting calls for a counter-protest to protect attendees. Two Rotorua Lakes Council elected members clashed over differing views of the event.
The free event planned for Thursday would have seen Taranaki drag queen entertainers Coco (Sunita Torrance) and Erika Flash (Daniel Lockett) reading children books such as Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae.
The council released a statement this afternoon advising the event will no longer be held.
It said Rainbow Storytime was a family-friendly event aimed at younger children, including book-reading, singing and dancing.
"The event is focussed on acceptance, anti-bullying, inclusion, being kind and having confidence in yourself. It has been a popular event in many other libraries and registrations for the event at Rotorua Library were full.
"Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, we have had to make the decision to cancel the event."
The statement said the council knew it would be disappointing for the children, parents and community members who wanted to participate in an "entertaining and empowering experience".
"Rotorua Library is an inclusive and safe space that encourages understanding and tolerance in our community and we have received a lot of positive feedback and support for the event.
"Unfortunately, not all our residents feel the same way and we have become aware that protests have been organised that changes the security profile of this event."
It acknowledged people's right to peaceful protest but said "multiple attempts" to contact protest representatives asking them to respect the space, library users and those who had chosen to attend the event went unanswered.
"Without these assurances, [the] council needed to review its security plan for Rainbow Storytime.
"We considered the hostile dialogue on social media and the rapid spread of misinformation about the performers and the purpose of the event as key factors."
It said the safety of those attending and its staff was a priority - and was especially important for events designed for younger children.
"Having met with police and our community safety team, despite our best efforts, we have regretfully decided that our security resource is insufficient to ensure the safety of library users and event attendees, given the lack of information about the intended protests.
"We are disappointed we have been obliged to make this decision. It reflects the change in circumstances rather than a change in the values of inclusivity, anti-bullying and positivity."
Registered attendees were notified of the event cancellation.
Event host Torrance previously spoke to Local Democracy Reporting in response to criticism of the event, saying it was harmless and there were "more important things going on in the world than two people dressing up in frilly costumes reading to children".
"It is imaginary, the harm [critics] think we put towards children or anybody."
Speaking generally, in her view people opposed to events like Rainbow Storytime were fed "scaremongering ideologies."
Care went into the image, songs, costumes and messages, she said, and when libraries invited them to read she asked if they wanted a more pride-focused message or more generic like dancing animals.
They also did shows for adult audiences, including R18 cabarets, "but even then we do not do stripping".
Torrance said their events enabled "people of many ages" to ask about drag queens if they wanted.
"They can be straight, they can be gay, they can be transgender they can be non-binary. They can be allies."
It was not about pushing a transgender or gay agenda: "You can't teach it, you can't learn it. It's either in you or it isn't."
The pair had been approached for further comment today.
Tamaki responds to cancellation
Tamaki told the NZ Herald on Wednesday in his view it defied belief parents and grandparents had to stand up against "drag queens reading to 3-year-old kids in a public library".
"But finally common sense has prevailed and the Rotorua Library event has been cancelled."
He said it should not have to take him or his church to protest before, in his opinion, "inappropriate" events such as this were reconsidered - but he was "happy to lend assistance to this cause".
Tamaki said he had set his sights on upcoming Gisborne and Hastings events. The protests were "never going to be violent", he said, and protesters believed they had the right to voice their concerns.
"Let the voice of those protecting the next generation, continue to be strong to speak up, stand up and be prepared to show up."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.