Posted on 02/26/2010 8:49:59 AM PST by concretebob
Information has been received indicating that the Westboro Baptist Church WBC) is planning protest activity within the region. The group is described as an extremist hate group opposed to the military and homosexuals. The WBC has garnered media attention by protesting at the funerals of service members, famous people, people who have died from AIDS, as well as military installations and political events. The activity is planned to target schools, Jewish facilities, and military events in Henrico County, the City of Richmond, and the Tidewater area.
The WBC is a highly organized group based out of Kansas. The WBC has a history of seeking confrontation in order to file lawsuits that may result in settlements to fund the group's activities. The protests focus on provoking responses which provide the basis for confrontation and litigation. Historically the group has not engaged in violence when left alone.
The following is a list of planned WBC events in the area:
27 Feb - Virginia Beach 1115 hours Funeral of Staff Sergeant Mark A. Stets, Wave Church, 1000 N. Great Neck Road
1 Mar - Norfolk 1400 - 1430 Granby High School 1445 - 1515 Bina High School (in B'nai Israel Congregation) 1520 - 1550 Ohef Sholom Temple 1610 - 1640 Norfolk Naval Station 1700 - 1730 Temple Israel
2 Mar - Virginia Beach, Richmond, Henrico 0655 - 0725 Landstown High School, Virginia Beach 0800 - 0830 Simon Family JCC, Virginia Beach 0900 - 0930 4th Annual Naval Expeditionary Forces Symposium, Virginia Beach Convention Center 1145 - 1215 Virginia Holocaust Museum, Richmond 1240 - 1310 The Jerusalem Connection, 210 Giant Dr,Richmond 1330 - 1400 University of Richmond Hillel, Richmond 1540 - 1610 Hermitage High School, Henrico
3 Mar - Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Norfolk 0650 - 0720 Churchland High School, Portsmouth 0845 - 0915 Torah Day School of VA, Portsmouth 1130 - 1230 4th Annual Naval Expeditionary Forces Symposium, Virginia Beach Convention Center 1400 - 1430 Norview High School, Norfolk
Although these types of demonstrations are generally peaceful or nonviolent, they are assessed to present a potential domestic Force Protection issue.
While the protests staged by anti-war and anti-military groups/organizations are legal, the controversial nature of the protests tends to invoke counter protests and creates a hostile environment that could easily evolve into violence. Counter protest groups such as Gathering of Eagles, a pro-soldier ?biker group?, have appeared at events involving protestors from the WBC.
There is generally an overwhelming support provided to the US military in the local community; however the potential exists for a spontaneous, unprovoked attack against either the demonstrators or pro-US Military persons.
Please inform your Soldiers, civilians, and family members of the potential for protests. Instruct them to avoid these events and not to interact with these idividuals in any way. If they do come into contact with these protesters and are harassed or assaulted in any way, they should immediately report the incident to the Military Police or local police. The single best preventive measure is to AVOID the areas where anti-war and/or similar protests are projected to or are actually taking place. If you witness a suspicious incident in your community, at work, or while commuting you should report it to Law Enforcement immediately.
Ensure that personnel are advised that the practice of OPSEC is critical in protecting the integrity of the operations and missions, and as a result protects the lives of the Soldiers, family members, and community.
I wonder what Vladimir Putin would do to these folks if this was in his country.
You got some good stuff, Bro.
I know. Thats my post on Talon. I had to use The Talon cause blogspot has to go under Bloggers and Personal.
I doubt they would make it out of their neighborhood.
right-click, download LINK for full-sized (see also my profile)
I don’t know or have an answer but on the flip side, they can go wherever they want, say whatever they want, pi$$ off whomever they want, etc, etc, etc, and nobody has the ball$ to take them to task.
What a country...one more step closer to complete freedom to the morons and low confrontation takes over. We will lose the battle without firing a shot and this is in our own once country!!
Fred Phelps was the Tulsa-area campaign coordinator/manager of the 1988 Gore for President campaign. He's a Democrat.
Then he went off on gays. I don't know why. I've speculated idly that there may have been an incident involving gay(s) and a family member, but I don't know that. But he's really over the top on the subject of homosexuality, engaging in extreme, unhelpful, unfocused, and logic-deficient bullyragging.
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