Westboro Baptist Church plans Monday rally near Duke University

Representatives from Westboro Baptist Church plan to speak at several locations across North Carolina on Monday, including near Duke University.

Posted 11:46 a.m. Nov 18, 2019 — Updated 11:46 a.m. Nov 18, 2019

Jessica Patrick

, WRAL digital journalist

DURHAM, N.C. — Representatives from Westboro Baptist Church plan to speak at several locations across North Carolina on Monday, including near Duke University.

The church originally announced its plans to speak at Duke School of Law on Monday at 12 p.m., but the Duke Chronicle reports that the hate group will not be allowed on Duke’s campus, citing a university policy.

According to the Duke Chronicle, Westboro Baptist Church will instead rally at the corner of Erwin Road and Towerview Road, on the edge of Duke’s campus.

According to Westboro Baptist Church, Monday's rally was planned in response to a speech given by Floyd Abrams, a prominent First Amendment lawyer who spoke at the Duke School of Law in October. In his lesson, Abrams referenced Westboro Baptist Church's public protests, including the group’s "offensive and outrageous speech" outside of a military funeral, which was allowed under law.

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"Our protest is...about concern for our neighbors’ souls," Westboro Baptist Church wrote in a news release about Monday's planned appearance. "The concern is that it is NOT GOOD for Floyd Abrams’ soul to believe and teach lies about Bible words and sentiments. It is NOT GOOD for the law students to believe those lies lectured from an expert. It seems only fair to truly let students hear different views...by bringing these Bible words in person to Duke’s soon-to-be lawyers."

Westboro Baptist Church, based out of Topeka, Kan., is well known for holding anti-homosexual protests at funerals, often at those of soldiers.

The group is known to promote homophobia, transphobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and white supremacy.

More than a dozen student organizations from Duke University signed a letter of solidarity obtained by The Chronicle “to those affected by this hate group and other groups like them.”

In the letter, the groups explain their decision to not hold a counter protest.

"This group is empowered by being given a platform to spread their hate," the letter reads. "Despite the anger many of us feel at their presence, we will not be hosting a counter protest. We hope that, in doing so, we further deplatform them and remove the means by which they can spread messages of hatred and intolerance."

Westboro Baptist Church will also appear in High Point at High Point Central High School at 8:15 a.m. and in Greensboro at Guilford College and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively.

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