Neo-Nazi Attempts to Firebomb Ohio Church to Stop Drag Queen Story Hour
A member of Ohio’s neo-Nazi “White Lives Matter” group attempted to firebomb a church this week. The church became a target over their Drag Queen Story Hour event. Authorities identified the man has having also been involved with a protest last March where armed extremists surrounded a park where a drag queen was hosting a reading event.
Federal prosecutors have charged the man with malicious use of explosives and possessing a destructive device. According to reports, Aimenn Penny, 20, allegedly tried to set fire to the Community Church of Chesterland in Chesterland, Ohio, using 25 Molotov cocktails.
The Drag Queen Story Hour event was advertised to take place on April 1, which evidently offended Penny so personally that he decided to throw flaming explosives at the building.
Penny admitted to FBI agents that his intent was to destroy the building to protect children. The suspect admitted also to having Molotov cocktails and explosives, and he explained to FBI how he made them.
“Penny stated that night he became more and more angry after watching internet videos of news feeds and drag shows in France and decided to attack the church,” reads the affidavit filed.
When the FBI searched Penny’s residence, they found a handwritten manifesto with concerning ideological statements, a Nazi flag, Nazi memorabilia, White Lives Matter apparel, a gas mask, and many gas cans.
The FBI conform that Penny was a participant at the anti-drag protest which took place at a park in Wadsworth, Ohio, on March 11. The protest featured armed neo-Nazis, members of the Patriot Front, and the Proud Boys, among other radical groups. According to prosecutors, Penny protested with a group who carried flags with swastikas and yelled slurs at park attendees. He was reportedly wearing military-style gear and carrying a gun. This extreme display of aggression was in response to the Drag Queen Story Hour being held in that public park.
The church initially criticized police when law enforcement failed to specify threats and were pessimistic about the church going ahead with the event.
One church representative writes, “Our organizers were asked how police officials could justify to their trustees such a large expenditure to keep the LGBTQ community safe. We ask, how can you justify denying an expenditure keeping the LGBTQ community safe? We understand these hate groups use financial terrorism as a tactic to force police agencies to take sides in situations like these, but choosing the side of the outside hate groups instead of members of this community they are sworn to protect sets a dangerous precedent for future targeted acts like these.”
After Penny was apprehended, the church made the courageous decision to go ahead with the Drag Queen Story Hour Event. The event was a resounding success according to their Facebook page.
Afterwards they wrote, “Thank you to the investigative bodies responsible for moving so quickly to make this arrest. While we are sorry this happened and forgive the individual in question, we would like to see him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law as a way to send a message to other like-minded people and groups that violence as a form of coercion to advance any kind of agenda is unacceptable in 2023.”
Photo Credit: @Community Church of Chesterland on Facebook
