“This choice of programming – which did not give rise to any visa or endorsement from elected officials – can destabilize part of the public. This is obviously not the will of the community”, explained the town hall of Toulouse, in a press release published on Tuesday.
While a small group presents itself on Instagram as a “a rooted Toulouse community youth movement” and baptized “French Fury” had launched a petition to have the event canceled, the Toulouse town hall took the decision “for the sake of appeasement” to redirect the reading initially scheduled for February 18 “to accommodate only a major public”.
On Twitter, the collective “La Manif pour tous” was also indignant at these readings. “PARENTS, WAKE UP! This reading workshop in a Toulouse library for 3-6 year olds led by two drag queens is not educational, fun or aesthetic”, is it written. The text is accompanied by a video in which we can see two drag queens reading to children and recounting their experience.
“Certain reactions can lead to public order disturbances”specifies the municipality in the press release.
Deletion of the petition
The petition has since been deleted. Tuesday afternoon, it was no longer accessible. However, Jean-Luc Moudenc the mayor of Toulouse (various right), intends to ask the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmain, “the dissolution of the “French Fury” movement, at the origin of threats and disturbances to public order”.
The reading workshop had for but “to make young people aware of difference, in a playful way”said the town hall.
*La Manif pour tous is the main group of associations behind larger demonstrations and actions opposing the law opening up marriage and adoption to same-sex couples in France (source Wikipedia) .