Organisers of a Melbourne drag show event were forced to cancel the end of year celebration on Thursday just hours before it commenced after a series of online threats from neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQIA+ groups.
Glitter Nova, a youth event celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, had been set to take place at St Kilda’s Victorian Pride Centre – the first purpose-built centre for Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities – on Thursday night but after threats from neo-Nazi groups were circulated online, organisers Stonnington Youth Services decided to postpone it, citing safety concerns.
“We have recently become aware of a planned protest at Glitter Nova this evening and in order to maintain our commitment to creating safe and inclusive events, we felt the wisest and most prudent course of action was to postpone the event … to ensure the safety of our attendees,” organisers told The Australian.
The event, marketed as a free youth celebration of “diversity, inclusion, having fun and connection to like-minded folks”, included drag performances, queer stand-up comedy and musical acts.
Melbourne comedian Samantha Andrew, who was to perform at the event, said it was “heartbreaking” that attendees had “yet again been reminded that who they are is something they should feel unsafe about”.
Read the article by Carly Douglas in The Australian.