'Angels' Block Westboro Protesters at Orlando Shooting Victim's Funeral
Hundreds of local residents, some of them dressed as angels in white linen, blocked members of the Westboro Baptist Church extremist group who were heard shouting phrases like "Why did God destroy Sodom?" as they picketed the funerals of Pulse gay nightclub shooting victims.
"Seeing the hand of God sitting heavy upon Orlando with much death and sorrow, Westboro Baptist Church will protest against the proud sin that has brought great wrath from God such that God is bereaving you of your children, AS HE PROMISED… GOD STILL HATES FAGS & WILL NEVER HAVE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE," said the Kansas-based group in a statement on its website, announcing their plan to disrupt the funerals of the victims of the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history.
As expected, Westboro protesters arrived at the funeral of 32-year-old Christopher Andrew Leinonen's at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke. However, the counter-demonstrators, chanting "We love you!" and "Orlando Strong!" guarded the service, according to Aol.com.
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Some of the residents who were part of the "line of angels" wore angel outfits made from white linen designed by the Orlando Shakespeare Company and the Angel Action Network. The latter was founded after Westboro members protested the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was killed in Wyoming about two decades ago.
The two groups have started an "Angel Wing Project" to build large wings to protect mourners from seeing the protesters. "Angel wings are meant as a loving support to the fallen, not to create more anger or violence," said the theater group's artistic director Jim Helsinger in a statement.
The two have also formed a Facebook group called "Human Chain Links to Block Westboro From Funerals for Pulse Victims."
"No coincidence that God is smacking Orlando with grievous sorrow, killing your children with shooters and alligators, when you are about to belly up to 'father's day'! DON'T DO IT! Your faithless dads are to blame for your horrible sorrow," Westboro, notorious for their "God Hates Fags" signs, wrote on its website.
The Orlando shooting suspect, Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, who killed 49 people and injured 53 others inside the Orlando gay nightclub on June 12, had been interviewed twice in 2013 and 2014 by the FBI for alleged "terrorist ties" and swore allegiance to Islamic State minutes before the massacre. He was shot dead by a SWAT team after the shooting.
Many Christian leaders expressed sympathy for the gay community after the massacre.
"Let's call our congregations to pray together. Let's realize that, in this case, our gay and lesbian neighbors are likely quite scared. Who wouldn't be?" Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote on his blog.
"Demonstrate the sacrificial love of Jesus to them. We don't have to agree on the meaning of marriage and sexuality to love one another and to see the murderous sin of terrorism," Moore added.
Pastor Miles McPherson of The Rock Church in San Diego, said, "Our hearts grieve with all the family and friends of those effected by today's tragedy in Orlando. May America's most deadly shooting be matched by America's most focused prayers for peace and unity."
Although the extremist Westboro group describes itself as "Baptist," Moore has explained that the group has no association with the Southern Baptist denomination and describes them as "kind of a performance art of vitriolic hatred rather than any kind of religious organization."
