Amid high tensions over the Iowa Legislature's moves to limit LGBTQ+ rights, 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.
About 400 people, mainly parents with children, attended the Drag Family Storytime on Tuesday in a library meeting room. Teresa Horton Bumgarner, the party chair, was there with several other people, some of whom carried signs condemning the library and drag performers as "groomers," a term that implies manipulation of children for detrimental purposes.
As Bumgarner sat in the middle of a group of parents and children, livestreaming the event, she was confronted repeatedly by both parents and counter protestors. At one point she was grabbed, held and insulted by a person while recording and later was pushed by a parent who said she was trying to prevent her from livestreaming video of children posing for photos with the drag performers.
Bumgarner claimed during the livestream that she also had been struck by at least one of the people confronting her, and spoke with Iowa City police Sgt. Kevin Bailey, who was present. She had him escort her from the event after it was over.
She told the Press-Citizen she was filing a complaint with police, providing the livestream as evidence. The people who confronted Bumgarner were not identified.
About 400 people, mainly parents with children, attended the Drag Family Storytime on Tuesday in a library meeting room. Teresa Horton Bumgarner, the party chair, was there with several other people, some of whom carried signs condemning the library and drag performers as "groomers," a term that implies manipulation of children for detrimental purposes.
As Bumgarner sat in the middle of a group of parents and children, livestreaming the event, she was confronted repeatedly by both parents and counter protestors. At one point she was grabbed, held and insulted by a person while recording and later was pushed by a parent who said she was trying to prevent her from livestreaming video of children posing for photos with the drag performers.
Bumgarner claimed during the livestream that she also had been struck by at least one of the people confronting her, and spoke with Iowa City police Sgt. Kevin Bailey, who was present. She had him escort her from the event after it was over.
She told the Press-Citizen she was filing a complaint with police, providing the livestream as evidence. The people who confronted Bumgarner were not identified.
GOP leader says she was assaulted while protesting Iowa City children's drag story time
A livestream shows repeated confrontations between Johnson County GOP chair Teresa Horton Bumgarner and parents at the Iowa City library event
www.press-citizen.com
Last edited: