Church protester tackled at military funeral
A member of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church has been tackled at a military funeral for an openly gay US soldier.
Army Staff Sgt. Donna Johnson was killed along with two others in Afghanistan earlier this month when an insurgent detonated a suicide vest while they were on dismounted patrol, according to the US Department of Defense. She was married to her female partner, Tracy Dice.
At her funeral yesterday, a Westboro member stomped on the American flag which led to a soldier hitting one of the protesters, Guardian of Valor reports.
As he was being arrested, two other soldiers rescued the flag.
The WBC, known for their offensive “God Hate Fags” slogan and website, often pickets the funerals of US soldiers, but was met by a counter protest at Johnson’s funeral in North Carolina. Hundreds of people lined the streets waving flags and holding signs.
No one was charged following the confrontation.
Watch footage of the incident below:
