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The National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, has closed indefinitely after Republican QAnon conspiracists demanded "to see all the illegals crossing on the raft," alleging the sanctuary's dock is being used to smuggle migrants for human trafficking purposes.
The Houston Chronicle reported "threats against the center escalated in recent days," including one instance when executive director Marianna Treviño-Wright was accused by Virginia GOP congressional candidate Kimberly Lowe of using the center to permit "children being sex trafficked and raped and murdered."
UPDATE: The National Butterfly Center on the Texas border is closing \u201cfor the immediate future\u201d after conspiracy-fueled threats against the center escalated in recent days.https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/legislature/article/National-Butterfly-Center-closing-indefinitely-16826463.php\u00a0\u2026— Houston Chronicle (@Houston Chronicle) 1643834514
Treviño-Wright expressed concerns about keeping the organization open during this weekend’s “We Stand America” rally in nearby McAllen, Texas.
She says the rally will attract people with a penchant for violent confrontation.
“The playbook is to incite violence We simply can’t risk our lives or those of our members and visitors, knowing that this hate speech, domestic terrorist organization is planning their national midterm kickoff rally in McAllen.”
The "We Stand America" rally's organizers claim that the event "will focus on border law enforcement and the direct connection to election integrity from a Biblical worldview."
The organization's website takes a hardline stance on immigration, making the erroneous claim that "illegals are beholden to their Marxist overlords."
So vitriolic have been the organization's encounters with QAnon adherents—who believe Democrats are part of a Satan-worshipping, baby-eating global pedophile ring that conspired against former President Donald Trump during his time in office—it has chosen to close its doors indefinitely, citing security concerns.
The National Butterfly Center in McAllen, Texas, is closing after being inundated with threats from QAnon believers who claim it is part of a secret international sex trafficking ring https://twitter.com/NatButterflies/status/1486724138030940160\u00a0\u2026— Mikael Thalen (@Mikael Thalen) 1643314704
Many have come out in support of the center while criticizing QAnon adherents for promoting baseless conspiracies.
Threatening a butterfly center? That's similar to screaming at a fire hydrant for being located inconveniently.https://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— Jennitis (@Jennitis) 1643907901
When you live in a country where butterflies aren\u2019t safe from crazies.https://twitter.com/houstonchron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— Barbara Malmet (@Barbara Malmet) 1643905789
Jesus goddamned Christ can Americans stop believing every single hysterical and baseless accusation of child trafficking that gets dangled in front of them?\n\nHow many times now has it been? Comet Pizza. Wayfair. Now this.\n\nYour outrage is being exploited by manipulative liars. https://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/B18KE8tjK1— \ud83e\udd93Pot\u2602Luck\ud83d\ude08 (@\ud83e\udd93Pot\u2602Luck\ud83d\ude08) 1643858663
They're threatening BUTTERFLIES now, y'all. That's where their right-wing ideology is leading them, to being against BUTTERFLIES.https://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— Laura Anne Gilman (@Laura Anne Gilman) 1643860692
This is bullshit something needs to be done about the Q-nuts, this is a non-profit thats saves butterflieshttps://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\udf0aKarma is coming \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89 (@\ud83c\udf0aKarma is coming \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89) 1643868490
This is nuts - conservatives, a virginia congressional candidates and violence and threats of more violence by conservativeshttps://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— Kombiz Lavasany (@Kombiz Lavasany) 1643886555
Now the Q weirdos are targeting a butterfly sanctuary? We're doomed. The crazies are inheriting the Earth. First it's a sex trafficking pizza place that had no basement & now a damn butterfly sanctuary? These Q people need to be on their own island away from the rest of us!https://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— \ud83e\udd87\ud83c\udf39Amanda's Shadow\ud83c\udf39\ud83d\udd77 (@\ud83e\udd87\ud83c\udf39Amanda's Shadow\ud83c\udf39\ud83d\udd77) 1643899094
This country needs a serious reset.https://twitter.com/houstonchron/status/1488975990323830788\u00a0\u2026— Mark (@Mark) 1643856141
The butterfly sanctuary drew the ire of former President Trump when it filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking to halt the Trump administration's plans to build his long-proposed border wall through the 100-acre nature preserve.
At the time, Treviño-Wright said she witnessed contractors employed by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using chainsaws to clear protected habitat.
The organization accused the Trump administration of unlawful incursion, saying its efforts were in direct violation of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, which require federal authorities to conduct an environmental assessment before embarking on major construction projects.