Claim: Twenty members of the Westboro Baptist Church were arrested attempting to protest a memorial service at Baylor University.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, April 2013]
So Westboro showed up here in Texas at the memorial service in West for the first responders who lost their lives in the explosion. The chief of police promptly had all
Texas!
Origins: The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), of Topeka, Kansas, headed by pastor Fred Phelps, is widely known for its anti-homosexual stance, and members of its congregation have drawn much publicity by staging
members typically portray the deceased's passing as God's punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality.)
In the wake of the
the Westboro Baptist Church announced via Twitter its intentions to protest "any West, Texas funerals," including a
The Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas is one group that announced on their Twitter a day after the explosion that they will protest any West funerals. They say their intentions are "not out of hate or spite, but will warn you out of love. Before all are destroyed!" McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara says they can try, but it will not be tolerated. "Any attempt by any group or organization to disrupt the funerals of any of our victims in this tragedy will be dealt with swiftly and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," McNamara said. McNamara says he has the backing of district attorney Abel Reyna on the matter.
The McLennan County Sheriff has a stern message for groups looking to protest the funerals of victims of the West explosion. He says it will not happen without consequence.
Shortly afterwards, the item reproduced above began circulating via social media, claiming that
The groups planned to meet after Westboro threatened to picket the funerals for those killed in the explosion, saying in a press release that the explosion was sent by God. The walls sought to protect the grieving families and friends from the picket. Around 220 people participated in the walls — one at the memorial and one at the gravesite. "It was really nice to show the family that the community is behind them," said Sharon Colon, an organizer for Red Wall against Westboro. "We were able to accomplish our mission, which was to stand as a wall for the family." Despite the press release issued a few days prior to the memorial, Westboro Baptist Church did not show up. "Westboro was not sighted," said Ryan Slezia, organizer for Maroon Wall for West. "There was really no place for them to set up."
Members of Maroon Wall for West and Red Wall against Westboro gathered to discourage Westboro Baptist Church from protesting at the memorial service for Captain Kenny Harris, a first responder to the West explosion.
Last updated: 28 April 2013
 | Sources: |
Blanco, Julie. "Maroon Wall Stands for No Show Westboro." The Battalion Online. 25 April 2013. Elizondo, John. "McLennan County Sheriff Gives Stern Warning to Westboro Baptist." KXXV-TV [Waco]. 24 April 2013. Holland, Steve. "Obama Honors Firefighters Killed in Texas Fertilizer Plant Blast." Reuters. 26 April 2013.
