St. Louis County Reportedly Considers Funeral Protest Ban

The ban would be similar to the those passed by other St. Louis area cities, including Manchester.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis County Councilman Steve Stenger, D-Affton, wants to pass legislation that would restrict funeral protests. (Read Previous Story: Appeals Court Rules Manchester Can Restrict Funeral Protests) Stenger wants legislation that would mirror Creve Coeur's city ordinance which was passed this week by the city council, the Post reports. Creve Coeur and Clayton have both recently passed ordinances similar to Manchester's city ordinance which prohibits protests within 300 feet of a funeral one hour before and one hour after services. Manchester's ordinance was put in place in response to protests like those by Westboro Baptist Church where members are known for anti-gay protests at the funerals of U…

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NEWS NEARBY: Creve Coeur Considers Westboro-Inspired Anti-Protest Ordinance

Creve Coeur city council members voiced support this month for the legislation similar to the City of Manchesters. This comes after a federal court ruled Manchester can enforce its funeral protest ban.

Westboro Baptist Church Holds Weekend Protest in Manchester

A handful of Westboro Baptist Church members, including children, held a brief protest in Manchester. The gathering was in reaction to an appeals court ruling that allows the city to restrict protests a funerals.

Westboro Baptist Church Protests Court's Manchester Funeral Protest Ruling

A few Westboro Baptist Church members, known for their anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, protested an appeals court ruling in Manchester Saturday. Police and local residents were also on hand.

Saturday, a handful of Wesboro Baptist Church members protested an appeals court ruling that was handed down Tuesday. As previously reported by Patch, an appeals court ruled this week in favor of the City of Manchester in regard to a lawsuit filed by Wesboro Baptist Church members challenging Manchester's funeral protest ordinance. The ordinance prohibits protests within 300 feet of a funeral one hour before and one hour after services. (Read Previous Story: Appeals Court Rules Manchester Can Restrict Funeral Protests) Westboro church members are known for their anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, claiming the soldiers' deaths are a result of America's tolerance for homosexuality.  Along with the handful of church members …

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Westboro Baptist Church Plans Manchester Protest Saturday

Members of the Wesboro Baptist Church plan to protest in "Manchester Park" Saturday afternoon.

The protest follows an appeals court ruling this week in favor of the City of Manchester in regard to a lawsuit filed by Wesboro Baptist Church members challenging Manchester's funeral protest ordinance. The ordinance prohibits protests within 300 feet of a funeral one hour before and one hour after services. Westboro church members are known for their anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, claiming the soldiers' deaths are a result of America's tolerance for homosexuality. They regularly picket military funerals with signs such as "thank God for dead soldiers."  According to Westboro's website, church members plan to protest from 2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Saturday at Manchester Park. It's unclear what Westboro is calling "…

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Manchester Reacts to Court's Ruling in Westboro Funeral Protest Case

A federal appeals court ruled the city can restrict funeral protests, including those held by Westboro Baptist Church at soldiers' funerals, from being held within 300 feet of a service. Manchester city leaders call the ruling a victory.

A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the City of Manchester can enforce its funeral protest ordinance that restricts protests like those conducted by Westboro Baptist Church.  (Read Previous Story: Appeals Court Rules Manchester Can Restrict Funeral Protests) Westboro church members are known for their anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, claiming the soldiers' deaths are a result of America's tolerance for homosexuality.   (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) Tuesday, Manchester City Attorney Patrick Gunn alerted city leaders in an email that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the lower court and concluded that Manchester's ordinance relating to funeral …

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COURT UPDATE: Listen to Audio From Manchester Funeral Protest Lawsuit

Listen to audio from the recent federal court hearing for Phelps v. the City of Manchester. Plus, Judy DeRose filed a motion to dismiss her employment discrimination lawsuit against the City of Manchester.

The United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals made available the audio of the oral arguments presented in downtown St. Louis by attorneys in the Phelps Roper v. City of Manchester case Jan. 9.  (You can listen to the audio of the case in the PDF/Video portion of the story) In 2010, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenged  a city of Manchester ordinance restricting protests or pickets at funerals. The Westboro Baptist Church regularly pickets military funerals with signs such as "thank God for dead soldiers." "I think we all can agree that defending our ordinance is the right thing to do. The cost of defending the case has been absorbed by our insurance company," Gunn said. He …

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Federal Appeals Court Hears Arguments in Manchester’s Funeral Protests Case

Monday, a panel of judges questioned whether or not Manchester’s law regulating funeral protests was too broad and unconstitutional.

Monday morning, at the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse in downtown St. Louis, attorneys representing both sides in the Shirley Phelps v. City of Manchester lawsuit answered questions and made their case before a full panel of judges of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. No ruling was made at Monday's hearing that comes after a court ruled the city of Manchester's ordinance to ban protests within 300 feet of a funeral was unconstitutional.  In 2010, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenged  a city of Manchester ordinance restricting protests or pickets at funerals. The Westboro Baptist Church regularly pickets military funerals with signs such as "thank God for dead soldiers." …

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