Leaflets have been posted through letterboxes in people's houses, offices and local libraries targeting a children's storyteller with homophobic abuse. A photo of drag queen Aida H Dee has been paired with the comments "protect our children" plastered underneath in a leaflet that appears to have been produced by far-right group Patriotic Alternative.
Aida H Dee, also known as Sab Samuel, is the creator and drag queen behind Drag Queen Story Hour UK, which aims to engage children's creativity and love for reading stories. In recent days, leaflets repeating common homophobic slurs have been posted through people's doors in Cardiff claiming the storyteller, who has won awards for their community work, is attempting to "sexualise children".
With a string of false and defamatory innuendos linking drag queens to "sexualising" children, the words on the back of the leaflet also claims that children are being "indoctrinated" by LGBT+ inclusive lessons and that it is "child abuse". The leaflet reads: "Drag queen story hour is yet another attempt to sexualise children...Subjecting children to these 'lessons' and forcing them through 'LGBT indoctrination sessions' is nothing short of child abuse."
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Despite the leaflets making the rounds, Sab has remained in high spirits and has even invited members of the extremist group to attend one of their events, despite the group's attempts to insult, abuse and defame them.
"I just get loads of hate all the time," Sab said. "They say that I'm branded as someone who is trying to sexualise children but there is no evidence they can show that I am. I think it is all completely and utterly ridiculous to be honest. They're accusing me of being a paedophile, is what they're trying to do.
"These leaflets, I mean, they're laughable. It's silly [and] ridiculous. I think it's a waste of their time because all they're doing is giving me free advertising by getting me in some articles. I'm not surprised they're against me as they're against so many different types of people. They're completely shrouded in racism, they're shrouded in xenophobia and they're homophobic and transphobic.
"I can guarantee you that they haven't physically been to one of these [story hours]. I want to actually invite these people to a story hour if they sit down and listen, watch what's happening and take on board what they're actually protesting against."
Patriotic Alternative, according to Hope Not Hate, is the largest fascist group operating around the UK today. The group are infamous for combining offensive and provocative language in its content. The group was founded in 2019. Hope Not Hate had previously said the group's public output is carefully monitored and produced to conceal the true history and beliefs of the group's leaders. A number of key activists were previously involved with the now-banned Nazi terror group, National Action.
Comments under the posted Twitter content seemed to back Sab and his venture. One person wrote: "This is targeted harassment of an amazing person. Aida H Dee is our Patron and we are very proud to have Sab involved with us. What you are doing is ridiculous, stirring up hatred against a perfectly innocent person. Disgusting behaviour from you."
Another person said: "You should be ashamed of yourselves! The only people children need protection from is you!"
