Crowds protect Orlando victim’s funeral from Westboro Baptist Church picket
The Westboro Baptist Church, which needs little introduction, (but if it helps, they’re the Kansas-based crazed anti-gay cult famous for the ‘God Hates Fags’ motto), has been blocked from picketing the funeral of Orlando victim Christopher Leinonen.
Christopher’s funeral was held on Saturday (June 18), a week after the 32-year-old’s life was brutally taken by gunman Omar Mateen in the worst mass shooting in modern American history. His boyfriend, Juan Guerrero, was also killed in the tragedy.
Christopher’s mother broke hearts around the world after making an emotional TV appeal for information about her son’s whereabouts as the tragedy unfolded, speaking of her pride at his LGBT activism work while he was in high school.
The Westboro Baptist Church which featured in the Louis Theroux documentary ‘America’s Most Hated Family’ is famous for picketing funerals which attract media attention to further their anti-gay hatred agenda.
The church previously promised to picket the funerals of Orlando victims, and tweeted on the morning of the Christopher’s funeral:
Why didn’t vicious, selfish parents of the slain in #Orlando teach them truth of God’s commandments? #WhyWillYouDiepic.twitter.com/8Z8ORcB3eX
— Westboro Baptist (@WBCSaysRepent) June 18, 2016
Members of the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre Company came to the rescue of Christopher’s family, using huge 8ft angel wings to block views of the hateful protesters. The angels were successful in keeping the church cult, headed by the inimitable Shirley Phelps, from any interaction with the funeral attendees.
Officers later escorted members of the church away from the scene of the funeral, to cheers from the crowd.
At Orlando counter-protest, angels wearing large wings ensure Westboro protesters don’t disrupt the funeral proper. pic.twitter.com/QLBZyDrj1F
— David Hand (@Ptolemarch) June 18, 2016
After OPD Officers escorted Westboro protesters off the funeral scene, here’s what the crowd did: #OrlandoUnited pic.twitter.com/eQdKjDqrGT
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 18, 2016
Undeterred, the church cult was quick to inform its followers: “No coincidence that God is smacking Orlando with grievous sorrow, killing your children with shooters and alligators” – a reference to the toddler who was killed by an alligator last week in Florida.
The failed protest comes as the US yet again debates gun control in the Senate. Today (June 20), Congress will debate four measures to restrict gun access, though all are expected to fail.
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