SALON

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 6:55 PM UTC

Yet another community strikes back against Westboro Baptist

When the hate group arrived to protest a Santa Monica high school, residents were there to greet them VIDEO

By

Topics: Video, LGBTQ, lgbtq rights, Westboro Baptist Church, Hate groups, Hate Speech, resistance, Protest, ,

Yet another community strikes back against Westboro Baptist (Credit: YouTube)

It was less than two weeks ago that the students, faculty and campus community at Vassar College came together to turn a visit from hate group Westboro Baptist into an unprecedented fundraising opportunity for LGBTQ rights. The week before that, people in Clatyon, Missouri drowned out a Westboro protest with chants of “Love conquers all.”

And yesterday, residents of Santa Monica came out — in droves — to counter yet another scheduled Westboro appearance. The hate group had protested outside the Oscars on Sunday, and chose Santa Monica high school as its next target because of the school’s pro-LGBTQ student policies — oh, and its proximity to their Oscar activities. (Gas prices being what they are, even bigots have to be practical about commuting!)

Students came out en mass to defend their school against Westboro’s hateful presence, joined by parents, faculty members and others from the community. Their numbers overwhelmed the hate group’s turnout, ultimately sending them packing.

In addition to the news that an entire town banded together to stand for love, the video also serves as a feel good afternoon bump.

Watch it here:

Katie Mcdonough

Katie McDonough is an assistant editor for Salon, focusing on lifestyle. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com. More Katie Mcdonough.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 3 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations