Swastika spray-painted on senior center ahead of Pride celebration in North Carolina

APEX, N.C. — Vandals spray-painted a swastika on the outside wall of the senior center in this suburban community outside of Raleigh on the eve of a holiday Pride celebration featuring a drag queen story hour, which took place today. Regardless, the two events became inextricably linked when Emily Gracey Rainey, a far-right activist and former Army captain who vocally opposed the drag show, posted on Facebook, “I know why the power is out in Moore County.” Rainey, who was protesting the drag show when the power went out, went on to claim that the outage was God’s punishment on Moore County for allowing the event. In Other News: Christian publishing giant destroys critics of its Pride Month LGBTQ+ reading list Deanna Conard, cofounder of Apex Pride and lead organizer of the 1st Annual Apex Pride Holiday Celebration, said it was important to not bow to pressure from far-right groups like the Proud Boys that are trying to force venues and organizers to restrict families from bringing children to drag events. They are not unlike characters that you see at Disney.” In Other News: This far-right Oklahoma Senate candidate wants God to ‘burn the place down’ because of Gay Pride Month The Apex Pride holiday celebration was one of two drag events taking place around midday on Saturday in Wake County.