Hunter
03/16/23
The chair of the Johnson County Republican Party is claiming she was assaulted as she and other conservative activists protested a drag story time event at the Iowa City Public Library earlier this week.
The Press-Citizen reports that about 400 people attended Tuesday’s event. Party chair Teresa Horton Bumgarner was there with several other people carrying signs protesting the event and describing the drag performers as “groomers.”
Bumgarner was confronted repeatedly by parents and counter-protesters as she livestreamed the event, especially when she turned her camera to children at the storytime. A police officer on scene advised that it was within Bumgarner’s legal right to record, as the library is a public place. The officer, Iowa City Police Sgt. Kevin Bailey, also pointed out that the confrontation was taking place in front of children and should be curtailed.
Bumgarner claimed that she had been struck by at least one of the people who confronted her, and had Sgt. Bailey escort her from the event when it concluded. She told the Press-Citizen that she was filing a complaint with police.
The newspaper said that it was the library’s first drag story time since October, which also drew protests. The events have been a regular part of the library’s programming for several years without incident until recently.