According to an Instagram post from the museum, the event was booked weeks in advance and was to be a private event after the museum closed on Saturday, which meant it was unaffiliated with the museum’s programming.

“Over the past few days, the Lincoln Children’s Museum and event host OutNebraska have both received an overwhelming number of threats of violence against our organizations, many going as far as death threats,” the post read.

OutNebraska, a local LGBTQ+ advocate nonprofit, was one of the organizers of the event and reportedly received many threats as well.

The museum wrote that the cancellation was “due to the growing safety concerns that have been created” by those in the Lincoln community, and announced on Monday that they would not proceed with the event.

“Cancelling this event and not having the children in our building to create, discover, and learn through the power of play breaks our heart,” they added, “but the safety of ALL of our visitors, our staff, our exhibits and our building is and always will be our priority.”

Newsweek reached out to OutNebraska, and Executive Director Abbi Swatsworth said that their chapter of the Drag Queen Story Hour started four years ago, and the event has made people upset in the past. However, “Although we’ve had hateful comments and veiled threats previously, we did not expect that level of threat,” they said.

“The event was a private rental event for LGBTQ+ families to enjoy the museum together and to hear stories of inclusion, empathy, and kindness,” said Swatsworth.

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird also commented on the cancellation of the event, writing in a tweet, “Playing politics with people’s lives is never acceptable.”

“All threats are being investigated by LPD, and, to our LGBTQ friends & neighbors, know you are loved & welcome in #LNK,” she added.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Lincoln Police Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said the first report of threats came on Sunday, and an investigation into all of the threats is ongoing.

Bonkiewicz said the department did not tell the museum to cancel, reported the Herald. He added that the threats did cause concern for the safety and well-being of potential attendees, which had been families with children.

Swatsworth told Newsweek that the threats came in both online comments and messages on Facebook, as well as threatening voicemails.

In a separate post on Facebook, OutNebraska announced the cancellation, and added that it is “so sad when hate threatens families with children.”

“Because we could not be certain that it would be safe we will cancel this weekend and reschedule for another time – this time without a public portion of the invitation,” they added. “We look forward to working with Lincoln Children’s Museum to reschedule this as an entirely private event.”

Update 7/28/21 - 10:35 AM - This story has been updated with comments from OutNebraska