Far-Right Threats Force Melbourne Cafe To Cancel Easter Drag Event 

A Melbourne cafe owner has cancelled an Easter crafts and games event for children hosted by drag queens after facing a barrage of online threats, including one that threatened to find and share the home addresses of performers.

This is the second drag event to be cancelled in the outer south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne in the past fortnight. 

Meg Anderson, the owner of Alice Rebel’s Cafe and Bar in Chelsea, a south-eastern suburb located around 30 kilometres from Melbourne, spoke out after she was forced to cancel the event in the face of threats from far-right groups. 

“For any of those who were thinking of protesting an event that has been cancelled for over 2 weeks we say we are sorry, ” Anderson posted on the Cafe’s Facebook page. 

“Our venue is a venue for anyone and everyone.  You could be purple, pink, orange or more and we would welcome you with open arms.”

Everyone Has A Right To Be Respected

In another post on Thursday morning, the cafe owner reiterated the venue’s message of respect for everyone. 

“As a hospitality business we don’t do politics we do people, human beings and  believe that everyone has a right to be treated with respect, considered equal and know that when they walk through our doors it is into a safe space that includes creating a space where alternative forms of entertainment that cater to different parts of our community are offered.”

“We respect that these might not be for everyone but we ask that you respect all our customers and staff members’ fundamental right to be treated with respect please leave the world at the door,” the owner added. 

Bigoted Phone Calls And Messages

The threats started after the cafe advertised the “Colour Me Egg-cited” Easter event hosted by drag performers. 

The cafe owner told Nine Newspapers that she received “bigoted” phone calls and messages opposing the event. 

Nine Newspapers reported there were Telegram chats between far-right individuals discussing staking out the event. One person even claimed to have contacts at VIC roads to find out the home addresses of drag performers from their car registration numbers.

Concerned about the safety of Cafe staff and performers, Anderson cancelled the event. 

Drag Events Targeted In Melbourne

This comes after the City of Casey cancelled  ‘Art of Drag’ workshops scheduled for April and May after threats from far-right groups.

It follows the far-right targeting drag shows in the US, UK and Australia. Last year, two drag story hour events were cancelled in Melbourne. 

In September 2022, drag performances by Belial B’zaar and other drag performers at an end-of-school-holidays event at Moonee Pondwere was targeted by members of the far-right Nationalist Socialist Network.  Three months later in December 2022, a 34-year-old suspected Proud Boys member was arrested after the group protested a drag event (which was cancelled following threats) at the Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda.