What happened when 12 Westboro Baptist Church members planned to protest outside a high school in northwest Washington D.C.? They were greeted by hundreds of students counter-protesting them.Last week, the school's principal came out as gay to students during a Pride celebration, and it sparked the church's protest plan. Holding signs that read, "We are Wilson High School," and "Love Always Wins," students from Wilson High School and other nearby schools marched outside of the school for a peaceful counter-protest on Monday, June 9. They were joined by another several hundreds of community people, too.
"We kind of took it together to be proud of who we are," student Aiden Parisi told NBC, "and be happy that what we're doing is making an impact, that obviously this group has to come protest us."
The students planned their counter-protest last week after Westboro announced that they would protest the school's June 4 Pride Day event. The Principal Pete Cahall came out to his students during that event.
"My announcement probably didn't lessen their enthusiasm to be here today, but we're all about acceptance, love, and accepting people for who they are," Pete said during the students' protest.
These guys aren't the only ones to stand up against the Westboro Baptist Church group. Country singer Brad Paisley called them out after they picketed one of his shows. Read about that here.
Do you think the students did the right thing?