Westboro Baptist Church protest

Several hundred counter-protesters gathered Saturday evening at the Moda Center ahead of a protest by members of Westboro Baptist Church. Members of the Kansas group left within 20 minutes of arriving.

(Elliot Njus/The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Updated at 5:48 p.m.

About 20 members of Westboro Baptist Church arrived at the Moda Center Saturday to picket the Portland Trail Blazers for its support of gay marriage -- only to be surrounded by several hundred counter-protesters who had already gathered.

Both demonstrations began peacefully. But as church members tried to regroup, the crowd followed. At one point a scuffle broke out as a counter-protester appeared to grab for a church member's sign.

The church members left after less than 20 minutes.

Counter-protestors stuck around for a dance party in the Rose Quarter, complete with stage lights and speakers.

The small, unaffiliated Topeka, Kansas, church has become notorious for picketing funerals, including those of soldiers killed in action, and other high-profile events. Its members pepper its predominantly anti-gay message with slurs and condemnations.



The church said it would protest the Trail Blazers game against the Orlando Magic in response to the Portland team's support for Oregon's same-sex marriage initiative in 2013. In a news release this week, the church said the Trail Blazers had "punched the Lord Jesus Christ in the face."



The Trail Blazers' two-paragraph statement on the ballot measure made the team the first in the NBA to publicly back gay marriage, which was eventually legalized in Oregon when a federal judge overturned the state's ban.



The Orlando Magic, meanwhile, has been targeted by gay marriage supporters, who called for a boycott over owner Doug DeVos' contributions to the National Organization for Marriage, a group that's campaigned against same-sex marriage.



Earlier Saturday, the Westboro Baptist Church picketed outside a conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians at the nearby Oregon Convention Center. There, a group of about 100 counter-protesters shielded conference-goers by forming a tunnel to the venue's entrance.



-- Elliot Njus



enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

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