AZUL Entertainment in Portland said on their Facebook page they want to be sure entertainers, staff and patrons are safe at their shows.
PORTLAND, Texas — A drag productions company in Portland took to social media to announce they are upping security at their shows due to threats of violence surrounding drag shows nationwide.
The post said the company is aware of a threat and anyone who attends their shows will be patted down before being able to enter the venue.
“We want to be sure not only our entertainers but the staff and patrons of all venues we perform at are safe and sound,” the post said. They also said they will have armed security at future shows.
Drag performers and the LGBTQ community have been dealing with an increase of violent threats nationwide.
The Department of Homeland Security released a new bulletin naming minority groups who are “targets of potential violence,” including the LGBTQ community.
A San Antonio concert venue just canceled upcoming drag shows, citing threats made against performers and staff.
“The story is being twisted into something disgusting to fit a political narrative,” the venue owners wrote. “It’s sad, frustrating, and disappointing.”
The Starlighter will not host such events for the remainder of the year, it said in a statement posted to Instagram, our sister station KENS reports.
“The Starlighter’s goal has always been to provide a safe, all-ages space for entertainment and unfortunately we’re now being made to feel unsafe in our own space,” venue owners wrote. “We’re being bullied and threatened both online in comments, reviews, and tweets.”
In late November, a 22-year-old gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle inside an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 25 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived within minutes.