State lawmakers to rush through legislation banning protests at funerals
New law would prevent 'hate' church coming within 300 feet of mourners
The funeral of Arizona gun victim Christina Green is being targeted by a fundamentalist church who plan to picket her service on Saturday
Arizona lawmakers were today set to rush through legislation aimed at preventing members of a controversial church from protesting at the funeral of the youngest victim of the Tucson massacre.
The sickening attempt to win publicity for the Kansas-based church’s anti-abortion views was the final straw for a community already struggling with grief in the aftermath of the weekend massacre.
Horrified residents swung into action today after Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to 'picket' the funeral service of nine-year-old Christina Green.
The youngster was among the six people killed during Saturday's gun massacre.
State lawmakers were this afternoon attempting to rush through today legislation which would prohibit protestors from coming within 300 feet of grieving mourners at funerals.
House spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said the legislation is in direct response to the 'hate' church's flier on its website saying 'God hates Catholics' and their plans to disrupt Saturday's funeral.
Residents of the town rocked by Saturday's shooting which killed six people and wounded 14 others are outraged that a fundamentalist church plans to picket the funeral of Christina, whose parents are Catholics.
Members of Westboro Baptist Church have come under fire before for protesting the funerals of people who had died of AIDS, homosexuals, U.S. soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.
But when the Topeka, Kansas church revealed their plans to disrupt Saturday's funeral of the young gun victim, local people decided to fight back - in a peaceful way.
Resident Christin Gilmer who was friends with two of the people murdered at the weekend, called Tuscon a 'caring, loving, peaceful community'.
‘How dare you come with your hateful message when we’re in mourning,’ she said.
‘Nobody comes into our beautiful town and tries to spew hate at the celebration and memorial of someone’s life.’
'For something like this to happen in Tuscon was a really big shock to us all. Our nightmare happened when we saw Westboro Baptist Church was going to picket the funerals'.
Horrified residents are planning an 'angel action' to counteract the hate church's plans.
