Despite protests from a small group of far-right activists, the workshop, organized in the Saint-Senoux media library, near Rennes, was able to take place. The town hall pointed the finger at the National Rally, which would have distributed flyers in the sector.
The municipality of Saint-Senoux, village of Ille-et-Vilaine, denounced the “actions” of the far right after the disruption of a reading workshop for children on gender identity on Saturday by a small group of ultra-right who took responsibility for this action.
Dressed in black, hooded, with banner and smoke
Members of an ultra-right group “L’Oriflamme Rennes”, dressed in black and hooded, with banners and smoke bombs, demonstrated on Saturday in front of the media library, where a reading was organized by drag queens on the theme of gender identity. Despite this disruption, the workshop was able to take place in this town of about 1,800 inhabitants, 30 km south of Rennes.
“The drag readings for 3-6 year olds are the result of a proposal by the artists, from two albums: Families by Georgette (Didier Youth edition) and Fred gets dressed by Peter Brown (Kaleidoscope edition), both borrowed from the departmental media library”, indicates the town hall in a press release published on Tuesday.
“The theme thus proposed on ‘Gender equality, let’s talk about it’ is seen in the sense of the deconstruction of stereotypes and concerns the acceptance of oneself and of others, the municipality wishing to address a diversity of contemporary themes”.
Elected officials and residents “come to support”
In a press release entitled “To our children inculcate our roots, do not impose the Drag Queens” published on their Twitter page, “L’Oriflamme Rennes” condemned “a moment of propaganda orchestrated by the LGBT lobby in order to shape the consciences of younger generations still devoid of any critical spirit”.
The presence of elected officials and residents “coming in support” as well as “many gendarmes” made it possible “to ensure the safety of the artists, the children and their parents as well as the smooth running of the show”, specified the city hall.
The town hall also pointed the finger at the National Rally, which would have distributed flyers in the area.
“The remarks of the RN, which brilliantly combine lies and demagoguery, set fire to the powder”, estimates the municipality.
Contacted, the Ille-et-Vilaine RN did not react immediately. In a statement, LFI MP Mathilde Hignet denounced the actions of the far right “in rural areas”.
“I recently alerted the sub-prefect of Redon about the actions carried out by these small groups which are rampant in the south of Ille-et-Vilaine (…). Faced with these hate speeches, we must dissolve the groups who are the perpetrators and prosecute them,” she said.
