Westboro Baptist Church

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is an American unaffiliated Primitive Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, that was founded in 1955 by pastor Fred Phelps. Widely considered a hate group and a cult, it is well known for its public protests against gay people and for its usage of the phrases "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers". It also engages in hate speech against atheists, Jews, Muslims, transgender people, and other Christian denominations. The WBC's theology and practices are widely condemned by other Christian churches, including the Baptist World Alliance and the Southern Baptist Convention, and by politicians and public figures including former U.S. president Barack Obama. WBC started protesting against homosexuality in 1989. Within a few years, the group expanded to protesting across the country at both private and public events, including at funerals, sports games, and concerts. The group staged protests at the funerals for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the West Nickel Mines School shooting. The group is also known to deface the American flag or fly it upside down while protesting, drawing counter-protests. Although the group's right to protest and use hate speech in the United States is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, the group has faced numerous legal challenges over its history.