When attending a lecture becomes a political statement

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These are interesting times to say the least when attending a lecture becomes a political statement.

On Saturday afternoon, about 150 sympathizers stood guard outside the Pestalozzi library in Oerlikon, facing a handful of freedom fighters. Daniel Stricker, corona skeptic and self-proclaimed journalist, broadcast live, a dozen police officers stood by.

Some supporters held a sit-in in front of the library. Raphaël Portmann (23) tried to drive the opponents out of the boombox with dance, glitter, confetti and Taylor Swift: “I think it’s terrible that neo-Nazis and sluts want to attack children’s events.” They are there to provide a fun experience for the kids who attend “Drag Story Time”.

In the library, 70 children and 50 chaperones participated in the “Drag Story Time”. Six security guards flanked the entrance, guarded the windows, and observed what was happening in front of the library. It is the first time that Felix Hüppi has had to organize security personnel for an event in his library, as he says: “And hopefully the last time.” Leading up to the event, he had received more than 80 insult emails.

Glarner ignited back in 2019

It all started a week earlier. SVP politician Andreas Glarner protested against a planned gender day in Stäfa ZH and published the mobile phone number of the responsible social worker, prompting the school to cancel the day due to mass threats. Gender Day is part of Lehrplan 21 and has so far been undisputed. Glarner’s next target, with the help of Roger Köppel, was “Drag Story Time”, and this time too his pack was ready.

Glarner remains Glarner, but something has changed with the Swiss public. When in 2019 the SVPler put online the private mobile phone number of a Zurich teacher, who had pointed out in the letter to parents that Muslim children could be exempted from lessons during Ramadan, there was great outrage. Glarner was forced to apologize for his action five days later.

The new right-wing Kulturkampf

In 2023, however, the SVP is silent. Allows her detonator to be granted, call to violence uncommented. election year. What the new right-wing Kulturkampf can lead to can already be seen in the US: Republican governor and Trump challenger Ron DeSantis signed a law this week in Florida that allows the state to take trans children away from their parents.

Despite the initial fires, there were no incidents on Saturday. According to library manager Hüppi, “Drag Story Time” was peaceful, transvestites read from the book “Kati wants to be a grandfather”, there was singing, dancing and dressing up.

Only a straggler of the right-wing agitators appeared. The highlight of the “protest” was a lone Trychler, who rang the doorbell, was booed by sympathizers and quickly taken into police custody. Otherwise they wouldn’t have to intervene.

Meanwhile, 200 people showed their solidarity in the form of a sit-in. 150 formed a protective wall outside against right-wing agitators. The “Drag Story Time” also shows how felt and actual outrage sometimes diverge.

At the end, when the Freiheitstrychler have already left, three people step onto the balcony of the Pestalozzi library, throw confetti into the crowd and shout: “We are here, we are queer”. The audience cheers. And also call.

Glarner fires, but it doesn’t fire. First of all.

Source:Blick