Dozens of West High students joined counter protesters across the street from West in a peaceful protest against six members of Westboro Baptist church from Topeka, KS on Monday morning, January 26.

About 75 counter-protesters consisting of students, alumni, parents, and people from the community held signs, sung songs, and stood together to defend their views on tolerance, patriotism and God. Signs saying, “God hates nags” and, “Gay is okay” were held in protest against Westboro’s  “God hates fags” and, “You eat your kids” signs.

Police kept the event peaceful by asking the counter-protestors to stand on the opposite side of Locust Street in front of Uncle Bill’s Pizza.

The protest only lasted about 20 minutes before the members of Westboro Church left on their way to Des Moines to protest at the capitol. They spent the weekend protesting outside churches in Bettendorf, Moline and Davenport.