Family Fatally Injured In Plane Crash Was To Have Been Target Of Picketing By Westboro Baptist Church

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, KS, had planned to picket a memorial service in the Florida panhandle town of Niceville being held for seven people who were fatally injured when the plane in which they were traveling went down in Demopolis, AL, while returning from a family reunion.

According to al.com, a website for several Alabama newspapers including the Birmingham News and the Mobile Press-Register, Fred and Terresa Teutenberg and five of their children were fatally injured in the accident Saturday. The Cessna 421 Mr. Teutenberg was flying lost power to an engine and went down in a wooded area as he was attempting to land at Demopolis airport. There were no survivors from the accident.

It is not clear why the church members chose to attempt to picket the service, but church said it intended to post several protesters outside the chruch where it was being held with signs saying the family was "killed in a plane crash by an angry God for the sins of a wicked nation."  The church is known for a strong stand against homosexuality, and has protested military funerals in the past. It is listed as a "hate group" by many watchdog groups.

Niceville, however, lived up to its name, as several groups ranging from Bikers for Christ to the Crestview, FL, VFW post got together to be sure that the memorial service was not interrupted. They lined the streets in front of the United Methodist Church where the service was held holding American flags to keep the protesters at bay.

The Westboro Baptist Church group settled for some air time on a radio station in nearby Panama City, FL.

FMI: www.cityofniceville.org