An Ohio man is being accused of checking out hundreds of books on African American, Jewish, and LGBTQ history from a local library and subsequently burning them, sparking an outcry from the local public.
According to the Beachwood Police Department, the man checked out the books in April. Days after, he went to the Beachwood Library branch on Shaker Boulevard and got a library card, as reported by NBC affiliate WKYC of Cleveland.
He allegedly told the librarian that he was a member of the LGBTQ+ community and wanted to learn more about their history, the outlet reported. The library was informed that the man had posted a photo of the books burning the trunk of a car on the website Gab.com, according to WKYC.
The books had Cuyahoga County Public Library stickers on them and the library was later informed that the man posted a video showing him burning all the books he checked out…