Many people are upset about an Ohio man who is said to have borrowed and then burned 100 books about LGBTQ+ education, Jewish history, and African American history.
Early in April, the man stole the books from the Beachwood branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL). He then posted a video of himself burning the books on social media, according to a police report seen by USA TODAY on May 2.
In a press release on May 9, Democratic state Senator Kent Smith confirmed that the books were about that topic. He said, “I condemn this act, not only because it is a crime against our institutions and community, but also because it is fundamentally un-American.”
Cleveland.com, WKYC, Fox8, and 19 News, all in Ohio, said that the man got a library card from the Beachwood Library on April 2 and then took out 50 books about Jewish, African American, and LGBTQ+ topics right away. Reports from the area say he came back on April 10 to check out 50 more books and told the library that his son was LGBTQ+ and that he wanted to learn more.
According to a report looked at by local news sources, the librarian told police that he wasn’t too dangerous, even though she thought his behavior was strange. The Princeton University Bridging Divides Initiative approached the library about videos it had seen online that seemed to have CPPL stickers on them. The Bridging Divides Initiative is a nonpartisan research group that keeps an eye on political violence and hate crimes in the U.S.
One video from April 3 allegedly showed a car trunk full of books with the words “cleansing” libraries written next to it. Reports from the area say that after the April 10 visit, another video showed the books being burned.
The library told Beachwood cops about it and said it would send a bill for the books’ $1,700 value when they were late.
Local news sources say that the Beachwood Police Department is actively examining what happened.
Beachwood Police Chief Dan Grispino said in a statement that his department is against antisemitism and all crimes that are driven by bias. The statement was sent to several news outlets. “We are committed to thoroughly investigating and prosecuting any acts of hate that happen in the City of Beachwood.” Our main goal is to keep the neighborhood safe so that people can live and work there without worrying about violence or threats of violence.
USA TODAY asked the Cuyahoga County Public Library, the Princeton University Bridging Divides Initiative, and the Beachwood Police Department for comments, but they did not reply right away.
A press conference was held on May 12 by local religious leaders and members of the Interfaith Group Against Hate. They said they would gather and give back 1,000 books to the library, or 10 books for every book that was burned.
This is what Rev. Ryan Wallace of Fairmount Presbyterian Church told reporters at the conference: “Our goal is to collect a thousand new books that lift up Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ voices and experiences and to share those books in libraries, community groups, and congregations all over our county.”