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Hello Summer!
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- Nov 1, 2005
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Hey, whadda know? The police couldn't protect 'em. Poor Westboro Baptists... 
Westboro protest draws student counter protest
Members of a Kansas church that protests funerals of slain service members fled the grounds of Omaha's Central High School today after police said they could not protect them from student counterprotesters. Students threw hamburgers and bottles of lemonade and milk at members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., according to several students interviewed.
Police said no one was injured. They made no arrests.
Westboro protesters had demonstrated at two other locations in Omaha earlier in the day before heading to Central High. They were standing outside the school, near the corner of 20th and Dodge Streets, when school was dismissed at 2:50 p.m. and students began leaving. Witnesses said the protesters held up signs that criticized homosexuality and characterized U.S. President-elect Barack Obama as the antichrist.
"Unfortunately, it got out of hand with students throwing objects at the protesters and at police," Police Sgt. Cathy Martinec said. Police arrived before the trouble began, but once it did, Martinec said she advised the church protesters that they should leave. They did. Dodge Street was temporarily shut down about 3 p.m., as police calmed the disturbance.
Students said they were expecting the demonstration. They found out online and through word of mouth. Ari Brodkey, also 16, held a sign reading, "This Jew is not afraid of you." He described the demonstrators from Phelps’ church as "disgusting."