MARIETTA, Ga. — A line of American flags was visible on Sunday as mourners arrived at the funeral of Lauren Burk, the Auburn freshman who was shot and killed Tuesday.
Dozens of Patriot Guard Riders stood vigil, each holding a flag, across the street from Temple Kol Emeth, in Marietta, Ga., to block the Burk family and mourners from Westboro Baptist Church protesters whose signs read “God is Your Enemy,” “God Sent the Killer” and “You Eat Your Kids.”
The Westboro protest group was alloted 45 minutes to protest and had approximately four people present.
Timothy Phelps, a member of Westboro Baptist Church, and a relative of its founder, Fred Phelps, said that God sends people to do terrible things because Americans are involved in “rampant sin.”
“Everyone ignores us and things just get worse,” he said.
On Saturday, the group traveled from Athens, Ga., where earlier in the day they protested at services for Eve Carson, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill student who was also gunned down earlier in the week.
“You won’t obey me so I am going to do things to get your attention,” Phlelps said, referring to God. “Well, maybe if you weren’t involved in rampant sin, God would stop sending these killers.”
To block mourners from the protesters, the Patriot Guard Riders, a group who attends at the funerals of soldiers to help block the view of protesters who may upset funeral-goers, held flags and formed a long line.
The Patriot Guard Riders were not “counter-protesting” the Westboro Baptist Church group, said Leslie “Cricket” Neely, a ride captain for the Patriot Guard Riders.
“We’re here to present a different face to America,” she said.
Neely said that the community, local law enforcement, some of Burk’s teachers and Burk’s family asked to them attend the funeral.
“We don’t go anywhere unless we are asked by the family,” she said.
“We do what we know is right,” she added.
The plan was to block the family’s view of the Westboro protesters.
As many people drove by the Patriot Guard Riders, they would roll down their windows and thank them, or clap their hands.
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