In the video footage, the students, who are members of the University of Queensland’s Liberal National Club, can be heard chanting “drag queens are not for kids”.
One of the storytellers, Johnny Valkyrie, who works under the persona Queeny, wrote on Facebook that those at the library event, including children and library staff, “were aggressively confronted by several individuals from the UQ Liberal National Club who burst into the event space, shouting and making vilifying comments against LGBTQIA+ people.”
“There were children crying, families distressed and of course, Diamond & I were victim to vilification, harassment and nuisance.”
“This was planned and targeted at me.”
The video was uploaded to social media by Jess Origliasso, one half of The Veronicas, who wrote that her good friend had taken her daughter to the storytelling event. She said the student group caused “chaos and distress to children and everybody there.”
“Rainbow Families QLD deeply regrets that the actions of a handful of people caused our children to feel unsafe. It’s our concern that this kind of negative and intimidating behaviour at a family friendly performance could become a protected activity if The Religious Discrimination Bill passes.”
“Love makes a family,” said Rainbow Families QLD Coordinator Holly Zwalf. “There’s no room for hate in our hearts.”
Since the video footage emerged on Sunday, the Liberal National Party has worked to distance themselves from the student group. Federal MP Trevor Evans said the group are not members of the LNP, although they claim to be.
“Last year the LNP resolved to take legal action to stop these ratbags from claiming to be affiliated with the LNP after some other silly stunts,” Evans wrote on Facebook.
“The ratbags who protested the event wouldn’t know liberal values if they fell over them.”