Church group plans Maine funeral protest

STACYVILLE – The Web site of the Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas-based conservative religious organization, states members plan to picket the funeral today of Army Spc. Dustin J. Harris scheduled for 11 a.m. at Katahdin Elementary School. Harris was killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq on April 6.

The WBC site says it protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because its members believe the deaths are divine retribution for America’s tolerance of homosexuality. The Web site previously announced a similar protest at the funeral of Maine soldier Sgt. Corey A. Dan in South Paris on March 25, but no members of the church showed up. Members have disrupted funerals in other parts of the country.

In response to the latest WBC announcement, the Patriot Guard Riders, an organization of motorcycle riders formed in response to the WBC, informed a local television station it plans to attend Harris’ funeral to prevent any protests by the Kansas-based organization.