The Weeks Memorial Library in Lancaster, a small town in northern New Hampshire, was going to put on a “drag queen story hour,” then it cancelled the event because of alleged threats of violence. A WMUR news article says,

Linda Hutchins, board chair of Weeks Memorial Library, said the library has a non-discrimination policy when it comes to renting out their room, but when they started receiving violent threats and word of multiple protests, safety became a top priority.

However, an NHPR news article makes it doubtful whether these threats were real:

Lancaster Police Sergeant Jon Woodworth told NHPR on Friday that his department was “not aware of any threats” to the library at this time. The Weeks Memorial Library Trustees declined a request for comment on Friday.

If the library received threats credible enough to require canceling an event, notifying the police would be the responsible thing to do. Whoever made them won’t necessarily cease to be a menace just because it was cancelled. I have to wonder whether what really happened is that someone with political clout objected to the event and the library board invented an excuse to cancel it.

Either way, the same message went out to the public: The thug’s veto works. Threats can shut down events. Canceling an event in the face of genuine threats is sometimes necessary, but it’s always an admission of defeat. The Weeks Library has increased the danger to every other library that hosts a controversial event. Its action encourages libraries to take the easiest path and not schedule controversial events in the first place.

A similar situation arose in New Hampshire last year, when Dartmouth College cancelled an appearance by Andy Ngo on campus, changing it to an online event. The college cited alleged threats, but the threat was minimal at most. The Hanover police didn’t recommend canceling the event, and they had no record of direct threats.

Event organizers need to show some courage in the face of threats, and they should never make up threats as a cover for other reasons for cancellation. Every concession to the thug’s veto makes it more powerful, letting enemies of free speech bully their targets without stepping out the door.

Note, June 14: I’ve emailed the Weeks Library, calling their attention to the post and inviting a reply. Nothing so far.