AMHERST — Five members of the Westboro Baptist Church holding a range of anti-gay signs drew a rowdy group of more than 100 across from them on Massachusetts Avenue in a counter protest Wednesday that coincided with a large, peaceful rally held on the University of Massachusetts campus to support basketball player Derrick Gordon and the LGBTQ community.

The Westboro group came to Amherst to protest the University of Massachusetts for supporting Gordon announcing last week that he is gay. Nearly a dozen police officers were on hand, and reporters and other members of the public were not allowed to approach members of the protest group.

Students were shouting at the church group, and seven students stripped to their underwear or Speedo swimsuits despite the chill. Senior Alex Kneemonkey said the message was “we’re secure in ourselves,” adding that some chose to wear Speedos because the swimwear represent "what's considered gay".

The nearly naked students then ran along Massachusetts Avenue; the shouting continued until members of the church group left after less than an hour.

More than 1,500 people, meanwhile, peacefully chanted, sang and delivered speeches about a quarter of a mile away at the UMass Student Union.