Hate group plans funeral protest By Marlene Switzer/ marblehead@cnc.com
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Marblehead police are readying for a possible hate group protest that threatens to mar the privacy and solemnity of a local man's military funeral. A radical Midwestern group has announced its intention to rally at the Marblehead funeral of U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, who died June 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center of wounds suffered in action in Afghanistan on June 3.
The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, proclaiming "thank God for IEDs" or roadside bombs, claims the attacks on September 11 and American deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are God's vengeance on a nation that is tolerant of homosexuality.
"It's going to shock and enrage every person who sees it. That is our goal," said Margie Phelps, daughter of WBC leader Fred Phelps, commenting on the planned protest.
The group is based in Topeka, Kansas, and has made headlines protesting homosexuality at school events, graduations and mainstream churches. Representatives of the hate group have said they would protest at the funerals of two Massachusetts soldiers who were killed in action because the slain heroes "were cast into hell to join many more dishonorable Americans."
Margie Phelps said her father is a self-declared prophet.
"He hasn't been sent to save. He's been sent to condemn," she said, adding that group members have protested the funerals of 11 slain soldiers across the nation in the past two weeks.
Marblehead veterans service agent David Rodgers said, "I don't understand people like that. Any disrespect shown towards him [Piper] and his family is beyond my imagination."
Faced with the possibility that a public display by such a hate group could draw a large number of emotionally charged counter protesters to town, Marblehead Police Chief James Carney is taking no chances. Wednesday he said he was planning a Thursday strategy meeting with town police, fire and EMS representatives, as well as other law enforcement officials experienced with riot control, to come up with a plan for maintaining order.
Carney said he was expecting to call on a combination of state police and officers from the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, of which Marblehead is a member community, to bolster the very small local police contingent.
The chief believes there can't be too much law enforcement presence in such a situation. In fact, he is confident that insuring an orderly public protest will serve as a deterrent to the situation erupting into a dangerous confrontation.
"This is a publicity-hungry group that has latched onto the reprehensible tactic of appearing at soldiers' funerals," Carney said of the group that threatens to appear at Sgt. Piper's funeral.
Margie Phelps said the protests may be disruptive to family members, but "as long as it's being made into a public ordeal, then all bets are off."
She added, "Thank God for the mortar. Thank God for the shell that came from the gun. Thank God for the fact that it killed the fruit of America to punish it for its sins."
The wake, funeral and procession to the cemetery for Sgt. Piper could draw a large number of mourners, regardless of whether the protest takes place, so Carney recommends motorists avoid Elm Street Sunday from 7-10 p.m., and Green, lower Washington and Waterside streets Monday until about noon.
Boston Herald reporter O'Ryan Johnson contributed to this report.