Homophobes Protest Gaga Concert in the US
July 23, 2010
Prior to her concert Saturday night in the US city of St. Louis in the state of Missouri, Lady Gaga told fans not to pay any heed to protestors from a large church denomination which planned to picket her concert.
The Westboro Baptist Church, led by the evangelical Christian Fred Phelps, picketed the concert on Saturday night with signs that read "God hates Lady Gaga”.
The church – designated a hate-group by various American human rights groups – regularly pickets the funerals of fallen US soldiers from the Middle East with signs reading "God Hates Fags." The church believes that America is headed to hell for allowing homosexuality.
On the social networking tool, Twitter, and Facebook Gaga said: "At the risk of drawing attention to a hateful organisation, I would like to make my little monster fans aware of a protest being held outside the Monsterball in St Louis tonight.
"Although we have had protesters before, as well as fundamentalists at the show, this group of protesters are hate criminals and preach using lude [sic] and violent language and imagery that I wish I protect you all from.
"My request to [fans] and public authorities is to pay these hate criminals no mind. Do not interact with them, or try to fight… Do not respond to any of their provocation."
She continued: "Don’t waste your words, or feelings, no matter what you hear or see you are more fortunate and blessed than they are, and in your heart just pray for them."
The protest was planned well before Gaga’s arrival. Months earlier, church spokeswoman and daughter of Fred, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said: "We will be going to her concert with placards reading 'God Hates Lady Gaga' – to inform people that they will be going to hell too if they listen to her messages.
“According to the Bible homosexuality is an abomination and she has to shut her filthy mouth and stop promoting it.”
Shirley Phelps-Roper is banned from entering the UK.
At the concert, Gaga supporters out-numbered the church members. One placard by a supporter read “God Hates Figs.”
Image source: Stephen Carlile
