September 20, 2022, Steve Alquist ||
Around 250 members of the transgender community, alongside allies, families and neighbors, gathered to show love and support for the transgender community at the William H Hall Branch of the Cranston Public Library Monday evening. The protest was organized by a variety of groups, including TGI Network, LGBTQ Action RI, Youth Pride Inc, Sage, The Womxn Project, Haus of Codec, and the Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Inside the library, an anti-trans hate group was hosting Chris Elston, who has participated in protests outside schools that affirm transgender youth and children’s hospitals that offer gender affirming health care. Elston has called the transgender community a cult.
The Cranston library offered a tepid statement explaining their decision to allow the hate group to use their meeting space, but it’s hard to imagine the library would host a group like the Proud Boys or the KKK. The library also closed its doors to all other patrons for the evening, allowing only the hate group attendees and a smattering of complicit media inside the room. It was reported that about 25 people attended the hate group meeting. Thirteen Cranston Police Officers were on hand. There were no incidents: Those outside protesting the hate group were entirely peaceful.
In counterpoint to the hate inside the library, the Edgewood Congregational Church across the street from the library opened their doors to people at the rally who needed to use a bathroom since the library locked people out.
