Westboro Baptist Church to Protest in Front of Pentagon

The Westboro Baptist Church plans on holding a protest outside the Pentagon on June 9.

Church members have picketed service members funerals for years, claiming that the deaths of U.S. troops is God’s punishment for the United States’ tolerance of gays and lesbians. The upcoming Pentagon protest will be no different, said church member Margie Phelps.

“If you put the uniform of America today, you’re an enemy of God,” Phelps told Military Times on Friday. “The military today — of this nation — is not fighting for anything righteous: They’re not fighting for freedom; they’re not fighting to protect any kind of civil rights; they’re fighting for sin. And the No. 1 sin that the American military uniform represents today is same sex marriage.”

The church has protested at the Pentagon several times before, Phelps said. Church protests typically last between 30 and 60 minutes, she said.

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency will have extra police officers on hand for the protest, which will take place in the designated area for protesters in front of the Pentagon Metro entrance, said PFPA spokesman Chris Layman. No more than 15 protesters are expected.