Messages advocating tolerance and love were seen Tuesday afternoon on people’s makeup, on clothing and on signs — some of which also proclaimed that, “Jesus had two dads.”
When Broomfield residents learned that Broomfield High School was a possible target of hate speech and protest, more than 600 counter-protesters showed up.
A “Community Hug” was created in response to a rumored visit from Westboro Baptist Church members, who said they would be in Broomfield at 2:30 p.m. They never arrived — a common tactic of the small family band based in Topeka, Kansas, that advocates hate against public schools, LGBTQ individuals, and the U.S. military.
Broomfield police showed up at 11 a.m.; community members began arriving at 12:30 p.m., but those who sparked the event never showed up.
Organizer Melodee Rodriguez, who runs a private Broomfield moms’ Facebook group, first learned about the possible visit last week.
“I thought ‘is this real?'” she said Tuesday. “Why Broomfield High School?”
She created a private Facebook group invitation Friday night targeted at Broomfield moms who wanted to build a “wall” or “community hug” around the school in case protesters showed up.
Read the full story at broomfieldenterprise.com.