A Lake in the Hills bakery was vandalized ahead of its sold-out drag show planned for Saturday night, forcing the business to cancel the event.
UpRising Bakery and Café reported that its windows were broken and walls were defaced with spray paint early Saturday.
“We did not want to back down from bullies, but absolutely cannot in good conscience continue with tomorrow's plans,” the bakery said on Facebook. “It breaks our hearts.”
The bakery is closed for the day and is asking the public to stay away from the property.
When the bakery initially announced its plans to host a “Starry Night Brunch Drag,” an event it marketed for all ages, it reported that it had received negative comments and complaints. The business owners also received in-person and online threats following the announcement, all of which they shared with the police.
After the bakery shared the news about the vandalism to Facebook, hundreds of comments and reactions expressing support flooded its account.
“The Police Department is disheartened this happened in our village,” the police said in a press release. “[We] remain steadfast in our commitment to public safety and have zero tolerance to crimes against all members our community.”
Local
According to the village police, Joseph Collins has been arrested and charged for a hate crime, as well as criminal damage to property.
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