SLC responds to bomb threat at The King’s English Bookshop
Sep 25, 2023, 4:00 PM | Updated: 4:15 pm
A bomb threat canceled a drag story time at The King's English Bookshop on Sunday. The situation received responses form around the city. (The King's English Bookshop Facebook)
(The King's English Bookshop Facebook)
SALT LAKE CITY — A bomb threat canceled a drag story time at The King’s English Bookshop on Sunday.
The threat prompted multiple reactions from around Salt Lake City. Mayor Erin Mendenhall is one of many to issue a response.
I cannot say this strongly enough, EVERYONE belongs in Salt Lake City. The actions today to cause fear at @KingsEnglish around a drag story time event are not welcome here.
We’re looking forward to working with King’s English so this event can happen at a future date for all… https://t.co/WG5CPClt5O
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) September 24, 2023
SLC Council shares support for The King’s English Bookshop
Along with this, the Salt Lake City Council released a video response.
We are grateful for the businesses, artists, and community members who bravely and visibly continue standing up to hate so people of all kinds can feel they belong here.
Our city is for everyone, and we will continue to support art and events that boldly proclaim the same. pic.twitter.com/zchS7utQoG
— Salt Lake City Council (@slcCouncil) September 25, 2023
The council also issued a statement:
“This morning, our community experienced a despicable act of hatred in the form of a bomb threat to a family-friendly Drag Storytime at the King’s English Bookshop in the 15th & 15th district,” the statement reads. “We see this as a crime rooted in hate. Our police department is the largest and most thoroughly equipped police department in the state, and we trust they will do everything they can to bring the criminals who targeted our city in this way to justice.”
The statement continues, saying this is not the only “act of crime or intimidation” in Salt Lake City this year. The statement cites the destruction of Pride flags and acts of discrimination outside of an all-ages drag show at Tea Zaanti.
“We strongly condemn behavior that threatens the many diverse communities that make Salt Lake the welcoming and thriving city it is,” the statement said.
Dan Dugan from the Salt Lake City Council tells KSL NewsRadio the council is worried about this becoming a pattern in Salt Lake City.
“We as leaders … we have to … speak out against this intimidation of hatefulness,” Dugan said. “We can disagree on things, but it shouldn’t lead to intimidation and hatred. That’s not disagreement. That’s, that’s just violence.”
Since the threat, the shop has reopened. No arrests related to the threat have been made at this time.
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