Reading library receives bomb threat just before pride storytime

A bomb threat sent to the Reading Public Library Saturday morning was an “attempt to disrupt” a “Pride Storytime with Drag Friends” event and is being investigated, according to officials.

The storytime was announced on the Reading Public Library’s website as an event sponsored by Friends of the Reading Public Library. 

“This storytime ‘is just what it sounds like—drag queens (and kings) reading stories to children. [This storytime] captures the imagination of gender fluidity in childhood and gives kids positive and unabashedly queer role models. Kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress up is real,” read the description of the event on the website. 

Following the threat, emailed around 10 a.m., the library was evacuated, according to The Boston Globe. The town hall, which was also mentioned in the email, and library were both searched by police.

While the threat was determined to be unfounded, according to a statement from Reading Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, police Chief David Clark, and fire Chief Gregory Burns, the concern around the threat and the library’s commitment to serving the community remains very real. 

The library’s board of trustees released a statement about the threat. It detailed that the email said, “a device would detonate during the heart of a family Pride story time on a busy Saturday morning.”

“Public libraries are sanctuaries for our entire community. Any threats to libraries and staff are attacks on intellectual freedom and open societies. Libraries serve all. Threats that seek to ostracize and marginalize members of our community are repellent, cowardly, and un-American,” Trustees chairman Patrick T. Egan said in a statement. 

The library reopened around 1 p.m. 

Want to leave a comment?

Create an Account Or sign in to your account

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

To comment, please verify your email address

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com