Counter-protesters answer Westboro church's charge that San Bruno explosion was 'God's curse' agains
On one side of the street, a couple and their young
son spoke out against gays and held up signs
referring to the San Bruno pipeline disaster as God's
way of punishing the wicked.
On the other side, many more people with signs
calling for tolerance and understanding counter-
protested the family's messages.
The dramatically contrasting groups squared off
Monday morning for about half an hour at El
Camino Real and Capuchino Drive in Millbrae.
The heavily outnumbered anti-gay protesters
belonging to the Westboro Baptist Church also
briefly picketed outside the YouTube offices in San
Bruno earlier in the morning.
On El Camino, Westboro leader Shirley Phelps-
Roper, her husband and their 8-year-old son
arrived at about 7:30 a.m. to rally against what they
deemed the corruption of young people at
Capuchino High School, a couple of blocks away in
San Bruno. The Kansas-based church also criticized
the school for accepting gays.
"They are walking in darkness," Phelps-Roper said
of Capuchino High students. She also described the
deadly gas-pipeline explosion in September as "a
curse" that God has placed on corrupt people.
About 70 counter-protesters demonstrated,
according to Millbrae police Cmdr. Mark Raffaelli.
The counter-rally was done "in a classy manner," he
said. "They did a nice job."
Classes continued as normal at Capuchino High, a
school official said, but students, teachers and
staffers had the opportunity to share
their feelings with one another about what
happened.
"We had student debriefings and counselors
available," said Scott Laurence, superintendent for
the San Mateo Union High School District. "We also
had an open mike in the middle of the school for
students and staff to speak out."
The school community condemned Westboro's
stance, Laurence said. "It's not something we agree
with at all. The message is horrible."
Earlier in the day, the Phelps-Roper family picketed
outside YouTube and was met by about 20 counter-
protesters, Raffaelli said.
Westboro was protesting YouTube because the
video-sharing website unfairly removes views
supporting the church, Phelps-Roper said.
In a statement Monday, a YouTube official said, "We
welcome the opportunity to engage in a dialogue
with our users and are committed to being a
platform for diverse perspectives from around the
globe."
However, the company takes down videos that
violate its community guidelines covering hate
speech, nudity and other issues.
Westboro, known for anti-gay protests and pickets
at military funerals across the country, has targeted
other Peninsula high schools. In January, church
members protested outside Gunn High in Palo Alto,
attributing a spate of student suicides to a lack of
religious faith.
In March, Westboro had planned to picket outside
Hillsdale High in San Mateo, opposing the school's
production of the gay-themed play "The Laramie
Project." Church members didn't show up but
hundreds of counter-protesters did.
son spoke out against gays and held up signs
referring to the San Bruno pipeline disaster as God's
way of punishing the wicked.
On the other side, many more people with signs
calling for tolerance and understanding counter-
protested the family's messages.
The dramatically contrasting groups squared off
Monday morning for about half an hour at El
Camino Real and Capuchino Drive in Millbrae.
The heavily outnumbered anti-gay protesters
belonging to the Westboro Baptist Church also
briefly picketed outside the YouTube offices in San
Bruno earlier in the morning.
On El Camino, Westboro leader Shirley Phelps-
Roper, her husband and their 8-year-old son
arrived at about 7:30 a.m. to rally against what they
deemed the corruption of young people at
Capuchino High School, a couple of blocks away in
San Bruno. The Kansas-based church also criticized
the school for accepting gays.
"They are walking in darkness," Phelps-Roper said
of Capuchino High students. She also described the
deadly gas-pipeline explosion in September as "a
curse" that God has placed on corrupt people.
About 70 counter-protesters demonstrated,
according to Millbrae police Cmdr. Mark Raffaelli.
The counter-rally was done "in a classy manner," he
said. "They did a nice job."
Classes continued as normal at Capuchino High, a
school official said, but students, teachers and
staffers had the opportunity to share
their feelings with one another about what
happened.
"We had student debriefings and counselors
available," said Scott Laurence, superintendent for
the San Mateo Union High School District. "We also
had an open mike in the middle of the school for
students and staff to speak out."
The school community condemned Westboro's
stance, Laurence said. "It's not something we agree
with at all. The message is horrible."
Earlier in the day, the Phelps-Roper family picketed
outside YouTube and was met by about 20 counter-
protesters, Raffaelli said.
Westboro was protesting YouTube because the
video-sharing website unfairly removes views
supporting the church, Phelps-Roper said.
In a statement Monday, a YouTube official said, "We
welcome the opportunity to engage in a dialogue
with our users and are committed to being a
platform for diverse perspectives from around the
globe."
However, the company takes down videos that
violate its community guidelines covering hate
speech, nudity and other issues.
Westboro, known for anti-gay protests and pickets
at military funerals across the country, has targeted
other Peninsula high schools. In January, church
members protested outside Gunn High in Palo Alto,
attributing a spate of student suicides to a lack of
religious faith.
In March, Westboro had planned to picket outside
Hillsdale High in San Mateo, opposing the school's
production of the gay-themed play "The Laramie
Project." Church members didn't show up but
hundreds of counter-protesters did.