Police Plan To Arrest members Of Satanic Temple Who Protest Against Westboro Baptist Church

So you are allowed to protest at the funerals of soldiers and children, causing grief to people who just lost loved ones, but protesting at a cemetery at the grave of a Westboro Baptist Church family member will get you arrested? How does that makes sense?

Police in Mississippi are now preparing to arrest members of the Satanic temple that held a 'pink mass' earlier this month where they joined in wedlock gay couples. After the ceremony, the couples kissed over the grave of Catherine Johnston, the mother of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps. (Check out the story that The Gauntlet broke last week)

But now cemetery owner Bill Arlinghaus is looking to press charges, and Meridian police say they are currently putting together affidavits and warrants in preparation for an imminent arrest of those who performed the ritual, local ABC affiliate WTOK-TV reports.

Meridian Police Department Capt. Dean Harper told the station that the charges being considered are trespassing, indecent exposure and malicious mischief. The indecent exposure charge is likely related to Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves tea-bagging Johnston's grave.

However, since the members of the temple live in New York City, Harper's talk of arresting them may just be a lot of talk. On the phone Monday morning, Greaves did not seem worried about being arrested.

"I think the police captain is trying to allay the fears of the local people," he told Huffington Post, adding his group has "no ill will at all" toward the people of Meridian and "regret[s] if they caused them any consternation."

Greaves also questioned the charge of trespassing, stating that the cemetery has no gate and that the group had visited in the afternoon, during a time when other people could be seen walking about the gravestones.

The Satanic Temple says the pink mass was held as a show of support for legal equality for same-sex couples. The group says the idea for the ritual protest came after the Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest the funerals of victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Read More News

Tags:  Satanic Temple, westboro baptist church, fred phelps, Satanic church, same sex

Jason Fisher    July 23, 2013