Overview

• Beachwood Police are investigating a man who allegedly burned 100 books borrowed from the local library, with city prosecutors being consulted on potential charges.
• The suspect checked out books on Jewish, African American, and LGBTQ+ topics on two separate occasions in April before allegedly destroying them in a recorded act shared online.
• The library has revoked the man’s borrowing privileges and is working to replace the destroyed books, valued at approximately $1,700.
• State Senator Kent Smith condemned the act as 'fundamentally un-American,' emphasizing the importance of libraries as defenders of free expression and intellectual freedom.
• Community and interfaith groups have rallied to denounce the incident, highlighting concerns about censorship and hate crimes targeting marginalized communities.