Westboro Church meets its match in counter-protesters

By Melissa Bell



In Lamar, Mo., the Patriot Guard and others use flags to block Westboro Baptist Church protesters at Army Pfc. Dylan T. Reid's funeral Oct. 30. (Emily Younker/AP)

For years, bright, rainbow-colored signs have greeted family members on their way to one of the worst events in their lives: a loved one's funeral. Rather than giving them comfort and aid, the signs celebrate the death and curse the country that the dead men and women fought for.

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Kansas, have attended hundreds of military funerals toting signs that read, "God Hates the USA" or "Thank God for 9/11." They call the deaths punishment for Americans' immorality. Their actions have created outrage and anger throughout the country, and they have been taken to the Supreme Court in a case that pits free speech against the privacy owed a grieving family burying a son or daughter.



While the case isn't likely to be decided until next summer, the church, consisting almost entirely of the family members of its founder, the Rev. Fred W. Phelps, continues picketing funerals.

But rather than waiting for a court decision, counter-protesters are fighting Westboro with the church's own weapon: protests, staged to block the Westboro signs. Bikers' groups have patrolled funerals to hide the sight of the Westboro Church members. For a recent funeral in Lamar, Mo., hundreds of people lined the street waving American flags in front of the Westboro protesters.

And in a different town on Saturday, the Westboro members never even made it to the protest. Nearly a quarter of the residents of Weston, Mo., turned out with huge American flags and patriotic music. When church members saw the crowd, they left the funeral:

Update: Reader Luv2bikva points out that one of the first and most memorable counter-protests has to be the "Angels of Peace," who blocked Phelps' church with giant angel wings at Matthew Shepard's funeral.

(Thanks Garance!)