The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, which has become infamous for its public protests at military funerals, high schools and other venues, says it will picket outside of Saturday's Portland Trail Blazers game against the Orlando Magic.

The group plans to protest outside the Moda Center from 4:45 to 6 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 10 according to a press release issued by the Church. "The Portland Trail Blazers punched the Lord Jesus Christ in the face," the press release states while encouraging followers to gather in protest of the Blazers' open support of marriage equality.

(

In October 2013, the Blazers became the first professional sports franchise in the United States to openly endorse of marriage equality.

The Westboro Baptist Church group also posted a press release detailing plans to picket the Gay Christian Network Conference at the Oregon Convention Center on Saturday morning.

According the the group's website there are ten protests scheduled in Oregon on Jan. 10 and 11.

In October, the church said it planned to protest at a funeral in Corvallis for Cody Patterson, an Army Ranger from Philomath who was killed in Afghanistan, but The Oregonian reported no church members were seen at the funeral.

The Willamette Week first reported the planned protest for Saturday's Blazers game.

-- mrichman@oregonian.com

@mikegrich