Dr. Philips High School students, LGBT community leaders and Orlando police are asking that people thinking of attending a protest by notorious anti-gay group Westboro Baptist Church stay home.
Westboro plans to picket Dr. Philips High School from 6:50-7:20 a.m. on April 29. Their press release says the school is “fag-infested” and “pervert-run.”
At least two counter-protests have popped up on Facebook, with as many as 2,000 people reporting that they plan to attend.
The Center executive director Randy Stephens said students have planned a peaceful counter-protest, wearing purple or blue shirts as a sign of solidarity against bullying, and they have asked for no outside interference. Stephens said he met with members of the Orlando Police department and they discussed the parking and traffic issues a counter-protest would create. He is asking LGBT supporters to respect the students' wishes and refrain from protesting Westboro, suggesting instead that counter-protestors create videos or web pages supporting the students.
