Controversial group barred from school grounds during funeral

Another group claiming to do the work of God! It makes me sick. Thank goodness for the Patriot Guard Riders! For more information on the Patriot Guard Riders, visit their website at: http://www.patriotguard.org/

The Associated Press

NORWAY — A Kansas-based church that has disrupted the funerals of U.S. soldiers in other states will be barred from the grounds of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School during the funeral Saturday of a soldier from Norway who was killed in Iraq.

The Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kan., said it plans to send delegates to Sgt. Corey Dan's funeral to express its belief that American soldiers are being struck down by God as retribution for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

The superintendent of SAD 17 said that if the protesters want to demonstrate, they will have to do so off school property.

"We do not have an open forum that allows open demonstration and there's no provision for that," Mark Eastman said. "If (the protesters) want to demonstrate, they have to demonstrate off school property."

Local police departments were prepared to keep order Saturday in the event the protesters show up, Paris Police Chief David Verrier said.

"We'll have a strong show of force," said Verrier, noting that Oxford and Norway officers would also be present. The Oxford County Sheriff's Department agreed to provide deputies, if necessary.

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a national motorcycle riders' group formed in response to the church's demonstrations at soldier funerals, received an invitation to the service from Dan's family and planned to attend.

"We're expecting at least 30 motorcycles," said Asha Lamy of Naples, a ride captain in Maine. She said members of other other motorcycle clubs, including the Maine and New Hampshire chapters of Vietnam Veterans, expected to show up.

Dan, a 22-year-old Oxford Hills graduate, was killed March 13 when his Humvee was attacked by a roadside bomb and small arms fire while he was serving with the 101st Airborne Division.

Dan had planned to become a police officer after he got out of the service. A scholarship fund has been established in his memory to benefit an Oxford Hills senior seeking to pursue a career in law enforcement.