Kirk Cameron book event draws hundreds, including protestors, after reversal of cancelation
Hundreds gathered outside a public library for a book reading and meet-and-greet featuring Christian actor Kirk Cameron and women's sports advocate Riley Gaines after outcry over the library’s initial plans to cancel the event.
Moms for Liberty, a conservative organization that advocates for parental rights in education, hosted the reading event with Cameron and his publisher, Brave Books, at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library System in Huntsville, Alabama. The event is part of Cameron’s "See You at the Library" nationwide book tour.
While the library initially canceled the event due to concerns about security and the number of attendees, the library agreed to host it if certain conditions were met.
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According to News19, at least 300 people showed up for the reading event, with some there to attend the reading while others were there to protest the actor. Protestors reportedly stood along the road outside of the library in the designated “First Amendment Zone,” with some arguing that the event was about “hate” and telling kids that LGBT people don’t exist.
Others, such as Emily Jones, the chair of Mom’s for Liberty’s Madison chapter, declared the event a success, stating that the room’s capacity of 225 people was filled within the first 10 minutes. According to Jones, nearly 300 additional people attended a separate book reading held at an alternate venue called The Rock.
“God’s people showed up in massive numbers today to show their support of Moms for Liberty and the Christian values of our community,” she stated. “Moms for Liberty is honored to have brought this event to our community and we look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.”
In a letter last Thursday detailing the decision to cancel the event, the library claimed that event organizers originally told library officials that they expected 20 attendees when they requested to use one of the library’s meeting rooms. The library eventually learned that the organizers expected 300 people to attend, which the letter noted exceeds the capacity for all of its meeting rooms.
After consulting with the Madison City Police, the Madison City Fire Marshal and city officials, the library opted to follow the officials’ recommendation to hold the event elsewhere.
In a statement included in the letter, the city of Madison emphasized that its permitting regulations apply equally to all organizations.
“The Moms for Liberty group failed to apply for an event permit in advance, and it was determined that City resources cannot support an event of this size on such short notice,” the city of Madison stated. “Alternative accommodations have been recommended to the organization to ensure a safe and well attended event.”
“The Library is available to the public and welcomes all individuals and groups to use its facilities within posted guidelines and policies,” the statement continued. “The safety of Library users and staff is of utmost importance to the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library and the City of Madison.”
The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment.
In a letter to the library’s executive director, First Liberty, a law firm representing Brave Books, asserted that it initially offered to accommodate around 250 people planning to attend the event. According to the law firm, the library did not express concerns about security and the number of attendees until after it learned that Gaines would be present.
“We write to inform you that, should you persist in the cancellation of this event, you will have engaged in unlawful and unconstitutional religious viewpoint and content discrimination in violation of the Alabama Constitution and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” wrote Jeremy Dys of First Liberty.
Dys warned the library that if it failed to comply with the request, the law firm was “prepared to vindicate this violation of our client’s civil rights in court.”
On Friday, Cameron tweeted about the resolution to the situation with the Alabama library, crediting the “strength and power of moms and dads gathering in prayer for the blessing of their community” with the result.
“Both sides rose to a higher ethic than we often see in today’s polarized society,” the Christian actor said. “By seeking the common good and love for our neighbor, we found a solution that we think will make tomorrow’s event in Madison, Alabama, a family-friendly, faith-filled, firmly patriotic event for all to enjoy. See you at the library!”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
