A man in Ohio has sparked outrage after checking out 100 books from a public library on Jewish, African American and LGBTQ+ history and topics, just so he could burn them.
According to the Beachwood Police Department, the man checked the books out from the Beachwood Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and subsequently posted a video of himself on social media burning them.
The estimated value of the burned books is believed to exceed $1,500.
“The Beachwood Police Department is actively investigating this incident. Our department stands against antisemitism and all acts of bias-motivated crimes,” a statement from the police force reads.
“We are committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting any hate-motivated incidents within the City of Beachwood. Our priority is to maintain a community that can thrive without the fear of threats of intimidation or violence.”
The Cuyahoga County Public Library said it would not comment on the incident whilst an investigation was ongoing but noted it had taken “steps to protect our staff, customers, and property”.
“This customer has been restricted from all Cuyahoga County Public Library properties and their borrowing privileges have been revoked,” the library added. “We are in the process of replacing the books in question.”
The police added when the books are overdue, the man will be billed for them.
“No place for hate”
In response to the incident, however, the community has pulled together and donated many more books to the library than were burned.
Members of the Interfaith Group Against Hate (IGAH), which includes members of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim religious communities, gathered outside the Fairmount Presbyterian Church with a table of books and Pride flags to protest the burning and stand against hatred.
The group, which works together to “challenge the movement of White Supremacy and all the hateful words and actions that come with it”, said they would use the moment to spread love.
Speaking at the event, Robert Nosanchuk – Senior Rabbi at Congregation Mishkan Or – said: “Whoever perpetuated the idea that you can burn us out of Cleveland, deport out of Cleveland deny our ideas oppress us and frighten us picked the wrong community.”
“Let’s use this moment to instead of stand in fear, to stand against this oppressive act deepen our convictions to learn each other’s faith, culture, values,” Nosanchuk added, speaking to local news.
In a statement issued on Friday (9 May), Ohio senator Kent Smith condemned the act “not only because it is a crime against our institutions and community, but also because it is fundamentally un-American”.
Smith said: “This nation was founded on the right to free speech and open expression, and our libraries are the embodiment of that promise. Libraries are designed to be community-based safe harbors of free thought. Libraries offer ideas. This is their fundamental role in our democracy and why they are so vital.
“This act of violence is not just a crime against the public catalog of literature that was destroyed, but also is a violation of the marketplace of ideas that is a bedrock principle of American life.
“This action will not be, should not be, and cannot be tolerated inside the 21st Senate District, this state, or this nation. There is no place for such hate, censorship, or intimidation in Beachwood, nor this country.”
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