A book-reading event featuring actor Kirk Cameron will no longer be allowed to occur at the Madison Public Library in Alabama.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) swimming athlete Riley Gaines, known for competing against Lia Thomas, a “transgender woman,” meaning a biological man, was also slated to appear at the event.
Moms for Liberty was planning on hosting the book-reading event on Aug. 5, 2023, but a press release by Huntsville-Madison County Public Library cited capacity concerns as the reason for the event cancellation.
Alabama Library Cancels Moms for Liberty, Kirk Cameron Faith-Filled Story Hour Event After Hundreds RSVP https://t.co/82k67Ib8Yb
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) August 4, 2023
“The Moms for Liberty organization had planned to feature Brave Books in a meeting room at Madison Public Library. Due to the event’s anticipated attendance increasing beyond the Library’s capacity, the Library will be unable to host the event,” the press release states.
“Initially, the organizers of the event reported 20 attendees to library officials. On Tuesday the Library learned that event organizers are now expecting over 300 people, a number that far exceeds any meeting room capacity within the Huntsville-Madison County Library System,” it reads.
“After discussing the logistics of the event with both the library and the event organizer, the Madison City Police Department and the Madison City Fire Marshal have recommended that the event be held at an alternate location,” the press release continued.
First Liberty Institute senior counsel Jeremy Dys sent a letter to Huntsville-Madison County Libraries director Cindy Hewitt, claiming that upon learning that Cameron and Gaines would be attending the event, Hewitt “abruptly canceled the event citing ‘security concerns’ from a potential protest of Mr. Cameron and claiming the event exceeds the library’s capacity.”
Dys also signaled he might pursue legal action if the library does not allow the event to take place.
“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,” Dys declared in the letter.
“We therefore request that you respond by Noon Friday, August 4, 2023, confirming Brave Books and Mr. Cameron may utilize the Madison Public Library to host the ‘See You at the Library’ event on Saturday, August 5, 2023. Should you refuse, we are prepared to vindicate this violation of our client’s civil rights in court,” he wrote.
