Man fires pepper spray on Westboro protesters outside Marine's funeral
304 replies, posted
[QUOTE=CNN]A motorist fired pepper spray Saturday at a group of demonstrators and counter-protesters outside a funeral for a U.S. Marine in Omaha, Nebraska, police said.
The incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. (11 a.m. ET) as members of a small Kansas church that protests at military funerals and counter-protesters stood nearly a block away from First United Methodist Church during services for Staff Sgt. Michael Bock, 26, who died August 13 in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
A man in a Ford-150 pickup truck drove by, extended his arm and sprayed with a large can, police said. His vehicle was stopped a few minutes later.
"Initial indications are he was probably targeting the Westboro Baptist Church" protesters, said officer Michael Pecha, a spokesman for Omaha police.
George Vogel, 62, who lives just north of Omaha, was booked for 16 counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of felony assault on a police officer for the pepper-spray exposure, police said. Vogel also faces one count of child neglect because his child was in the truck, Pecha told CNN.
Westboro members, led by pastor Fred Phelps, believe God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality" through events including soldiers' deaths. Members have traveled the country, shouting at grieving family members at funerals and displaying such signs as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Blew Up the Troops" and "AIDS Cures Fags."
A 2005 protest by church members at the funeral of a Missouri soldier prompted state lawmakers to pass legislation criminalizing picketing "in front or about" a funeral location or procession. A federal judge earlier this month rejected Missouri's tight restrictions, saying they violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment.
It was unclear Saturday evening exactly who had been pepper sprayed, but a Westboro member said no one in her group was affected.
The incident occurred during the funeral and while nearly 600 members of the Patriot Guard Riders ringed the church and stood vigil, the group's state leader said.
Scott Knudsen, Patriot Guard Riders captain for Nebraska, said no members of the Patriot Guard had any interaction with the church members or counter-protesters, which he numbered Saturday at about 12.
"We don't get close to them," Knudsen said of the Westboro members. "We have our backs to them."
Patriot Guard members, who come when they are invited by families, shield families from distraction, Knudsen said.
"We don't condone counter-protesters," said Knudsen, adding he was troubled by Saturday's incident.
"It's inappropriate," he said. "It's a funeral service."
Pecha also said that there were no altercations between Westboro members and the Patriot Guard.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of Westboro Baptist Church, said Omaha police did not adequately control roughly 30 counter-protesters, who she said jostled with church members. She also challenged Knudsen's and Pecha's account, saying a few Patriot Guard members were among the counter-protesters.
The group was about 1,000 feet from the church when the driver came by. "Of course it was directed at us," Phelps-Roper, who is Fred Phelps' daughter, said of the pepper spray.
None of the 16 Westboro members on the corner were affected because they raised signs to shield themselves or turned away, Phelps-Roper said. The group returned home shortly afterward.
Extra officers were on hand for any possible altercations, but there were only verbal exchanges before the truck drove up, police said.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/28/nebraska.funeral.protest/index.html?iref=NS1#fbid=1GmAGNdVCsP&wom=false"]Source[/URL]
Too bad he didn't run them all over.
Good for him, they fucking deserve it for protesting a soldier's funeral.
Pepper spray won't stop them, get something worse. Like bees.
[QUOTE=booster;24434932]Pepper spray won't stop them, get something worse. Like bees.[/QUOTE]
How about paintballs? I'd love to see them all get pelted by a barrage of paintballs out of nowhere.
[QUOTE=booster;24434932]Pepper spray won't stop them, get something worse. Like bees.[/QUOTE]
Better yet, some pissed off hornets.
Japanese hornets.
This man did the right thing.
How about 7.62x39mm rounds im sure that would make them shuit the fuck up.
[QUOTE=bugfix;24434780]It was unclear Saturday evening exactly who had been pepper sprayed, but a Westboro member said no one in her group was affected.[/QUOTE]
God damn it, all he managed to get was a police officer and counter protesters.
[QUOTE=booster;24434932]Pepper spray won't stop them, get something worse. Like bees.[/QUOTE]
Or a gun.
[QUOTE=Micr0;24434948]How about paintballs? I'd love to see them all get pelted by a barrage of paintballs out of nowhere.[/QUOTE]
Or Pepperballs,Pepperspray and paintballs combined.
[quote]said Omaha police did not adequately control roughly 30 counter-protesters, who she said jostled with church members.[/quote]
Boo fucking hoo, shouldn't have been there anyway.
Ha @ FP supporting this. Great job guys.
itt "i disagree with the opinions of individuals utilizing constitutionally assured rights so i think they should not have the right to exercise said rights"
[QUOTE=BrickInHead;24435134]itt "i disagree with the opinions of individuals utilizing constitutionally assured rights so i think they should not have the right to exercise said rights"[/QUOTE]
They're allowed to say whatever they want, but we don't have to like it.
[QUOTE=Micr0;24434948]How about [b]frozen[/b] paintballs? I'd love to see them all get pelted by a barrage of paintballs out of nowhere.[/QUOTE]
fixed
I would like to throw a can of mustard gas at those motherfuckers.
[QUOTE=BrickInHead;24435134]itt "i disagree with the opinions of individuals utilizing constitutionally assured rights so i think they should not have the right to exercise said rights"[/QUOTE]
ITT: Westboro members deserve to die, an entirely justified stance given their behaviour.
[QUOTE=BrickInHead;24435134]itt "i disagree with the opinions of individuals utilizing constitutionally assured rights so i think they should not have the right to exercise said rights"[/QUOTE]
well said.
[QUOTE=RayvenQ;24435180]ITT: Westboro members deserve to die, an entirely justified stance given their behaviour.[/QUOTE]
People expressing their (admittedly hateful) opinions?
FUCKIN KILL THEM!
Expressing them in a absoloute arsehole way, showing wilful ignorance in their behaviour. If they want to protest sure, but do it somewhere other thank a fucking funeral, respect the dead even if you didnt like what they did in life. Hell, what happened to the times where a person could get buried in peace.
My dad is in the military. As soon as we move back to the states I am going to go fuck with these ass holes.
[QUOTE=RayvenQ;24435239]Expressing them in a absoloute arsehole way, showing wilful ignorance in their behaviour. If they want to protest sure, but do it somewhere other thank a fucking funeral, respect the dead even if you didnt like what they did in life. Hell, what happened to the times where a person could get buried in peace.[/QUOTE]
Despite being assholish, it's still well within their rights, and it's still fucked up that you would want them dead for that.
[QUOTE=Xen Tricks;24435300]Despite being assholish, it's still well within their rights, and it's still fucked up that you would want them dead for that.[/QUOTE]
Everyone wants them dead, to deny that is to lie to yourself.
What about the rights of the family of the deceased, but oh yeah, as long as the religious fuck nuts are happy thats all that matters eh.
[QUOTE=Micr0;24435325]Everyone wants them dead, to deny that is to lie to yourself.[/QUOTE]
Uh, no? I don't wish death on them for what they do...
[QUOTE=Xen Tricks;24435359]Uh, no? I don't wish death on them for what they do...[/QUOTE]
So you think the world would be worse if they were dead?
[QUOTE=RayvenQ;24435353]What about the rights of the family of the deceased, but oh yeah, as long as the religious fuck nuts are happy thats all that matters eh.[/QUOTE]
If it was a private affair (legally) they wouldn't be able to protest but it's done on public ground in public so they're allowed to. There's a bunch of complicated shit about defamation and slander that they eek around, and people's feelings don't make up laws, so it's all legal.
Then you're one of them! Quick lads, get him!
[QUOTE=Xen Tricks;24435359]Uh, no? I don't wish death on them for what they do...[/QUOTE]
I do.
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