Illinois Man Charged with Hate Crime After Vandalizing Café Planning Drag Brunch

            An Illinois man has been arrested and charged with a hate crime and criminal damage to property after destroying property and vandalizing a town café. According to CNN, the UpRising Bakery and Café in Lake in the Hills was attacked for their upcoming brunch with performances by three local drag queens that were advertised as a family-friendly event.

            Early Saturday morning, the Lake in Hills Police Department was notified of an “in progress criminal damage to property” and arrived on the scene to arrest Joseph I. Collins. According to FOX, Collins (24) has not denied involvement since the arrest and is being held at the McHenry County Correctional Facility, and the two charges against him are labeled as Class 4 felonies.

            This attack on the Café comes weeks after a group of Proud Boys crashed a Drag Queen Story Hour in California and after the Café received numerous in-person and online threats when advertising the event. The event is planned to be rescheduled, and protests and counter-protests are being organized in support of and against the brunch. The police department has stated: "We are taking measures to ensure that everyone has the right to engage in peaceful protest. However, we wish to remind everyone that under no circumstances will the Police Department tolerate a disruption of this event or any activity that disrupts the peace."