Thursday, May 13, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Anti-gay protesters picket school

Hundreds turn out to support school targeted by church

An anti-gay protester stands on the American flag Wednesday outside Las Vegas Academy as she holds signs touting the Westboro Baptist Church's condemnation of homosexuals. Westboro followers describe the church as a picketing ministry. Photo by Gary Thompson. A line of Las Vegas police officers separates hundreds of Las Vegas Academy supporters from a dozen anti-gay protesters at a Wednesday morning protest. Photo by Gary Thompson.

A dozen anti-gay religious pickets clashed with hundreds of supporters of the Las Vegas Academy early Wednesday morning in an exchange of chants and Bible verses, but the protest remained peaceful and no arrests were made.

"I think it's a really sad use of energy," said Las Vegas Academy senior Tiffany Briery. "They're spreading a message of hate."

The militantly anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., singled out the academy with its picketing ministry because of the school's production of "The Laramie Project," a stage drama about the reactions of Laramie, Wyo., residents to the 1998 beating death of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard. Shepard was an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming.

News of the 6:30 a.m. protest spread around the magnet school campus last week, spurring Clark County School District administrators, law enforcement entities and the students themselves to plan a response. As the protest unfolded outside, more than 200 of the magnet school's students clasped hands and said a prayer for peace in the inner courtyard.

Principal Stephen Clark quietly arranged for the buses to drop off students in back of the school, where they wouldn't pass by the dozen church protesters carrying signs stating, "God hates fags," and "Thank God for Sept. 11."

"The buses usually drop off the kids in front of the school," said Clark, who oversees the campus at 315 S. Seventh St. "But we wanted to try not to expose the kids to this."

About 20 Clark County School District police officers and 40 Metropolitan Police Department officers were present. The small Westboro contingent was kept on the west side of Seventh Street, separated from more than 230 school supporters by a line of uniformed Police Department officers. Mounted police and motorcycle patrol officers were also on scene. Although the two sides were kept apart, that didn't stop some of the anti-gay pickets from trying to provoke the other side.

"Try to walk away you (expletive) queers!" shouted one of the religious protesters as a small group of individuals crossed the street to join the other side.

Those present protesting Westboro made no secret of their message, either. One sign waved at the church group declared, "Jesus loves you but I think you're an asshole."

Rev. Lionel Starkes of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church said he came to lend support to the school and the students. He deplored the anti-gay group's effort to frighten children and its message of intolerance.

"It shows kids that bigotry is still alive," Starkes said. "It shows kids that the way to deal with it is to face it."

And although Westboro followers call their pickets around the country love crusades, Starkes said that's not what they're really about.

"They may call them love crusades, but their behavior is that of hatred," Starkes said.

The Westboro church, which has been led by Rev. Fred Phelps since 1955, protests regularly against other religions, government entities and schools, and at community events. The group was in Las Vegas to share its brand of extreme religion with shock jock Howard Stern, who was broadcasting from the Hard Rock Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Westboro member Megan Phelps-Roper said she has seen the play, which includes her grandfather, Fred Phelps, as a character. Phelps-Roper said she has participated in the Westboro's picketing ministry since she was 6 years old. Her 12-year-old brother and 8-year-old sister took part in the academy protest.

"All the play is, is a big propaganda piece put on by fags, for fags," Phelps-Roper said. "They're trying to promote a lifestyle."

Groups that turned out in support of the academy included the Southern Nevada Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, and the Clark County Education Association, the union that represents district teachers. Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada also were present to ensure that First Amendment rights were respected.

"We're not going to change their minds," said Theo Small, co-director of the Southern Nevada Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, as he looked at Westboro group and its signs. "But this is an alert to the school district and to the police that there are hate groups out there that do target people."