UpRising Bakery and Cafe will be able to reschedule their drag event and other events after an agreement with Lake in the Hills village government.
UpRising Bakery had planned to have a drag breakfast last month. The village had received complaints about that. But instead of complaints of parking or noise, the complaints were about children being welcome to the drag event. The local police said that the drag breakfast was breaking no laws. The drag breakfast was cancelled after an alleged Proud Boy from Alsip broke windows on the food storage area and painted anti-LGBTQ graffiti on the shop. The alleged attacker has been charged with a hate crime.
Late last week, the village government said that the events the business had held since opening were not allowed under its current zoning. That ruling came after complaints from the landlord and neighbors about a sudden influx of crowds. The village had also faced increased costs because threats against the business required a larger police presence.
The new agreement, announced by the ACLU of Illinois, allows events to return to UpRising Bakery. The ACLU had sent a letter to the village government questioning the enforcement of the zoning.
“We are elated to have come to a mutual agreement with the Village of Lake in the Hills,” said Corrina Bendel Sac on behalf of the UpRising staff. “UpRising Bakery and Cafe opened less than a year ago with the goal of providing a safe and welcoming ‘home away from home’ for all beings, we thank the community, ACLU, KRV legal, municipalities, and our families for helping us reach this goal. We look forward to getting back to baking and holding community centered events!”
“Today’s agreement is good news for the Lake in the Hills community and a victory for free speech,” said Kevin Fee, senior special litigation counsel at the ACLU of Illinois, in a statement. “We applaud Village officials for their willingness to quickly engage in thoughtful discussions leading to this understanding that allows UpRising to continue to serve their mission of being a community resource for all people.”
The ACLU, the bakery and many supporters saw stopping events at the business as giving into extremists who had pushed for the drag event to be cancelled.
“Village officials supported Ms. Sac and her business in the immediate wake of this horrific event,” said Fee. “Today’s agreement ensures an equitable and fair resolution moving forward, and recognizes that violent extremists cannot dictate the discussion in our society.”