On the cold, dark morning of Thursday, the roaring voices of hundreds of Manhattan High students and teachers filled the air as they came together to counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church.

Less than 10 WBC members stood within 100 feet of the counter-protest, holding signs saying “God mocks America” and “Fags are doomed.”

“The students are excited to be out here,” superintendent Dr. Marvin Wade said. “I’m really proud of the fact that they are behaving so appropriately. Standing here watching this group [of students] is exciting but also watching the students drive past the other side [where the Westboro members are]…they are not acknowledging those other individuals.”

WBC gave a press release on Sunday announcing that they would protest MHS, due to their recent title of the most supportive community for the LGTBQ in Kansas awarded by the Human Rights Campaign.

After hearing the intercom announcement from Manhattan High principal Greg Hoyt about the protest that WBC would be holding at MHS, Student Body President Parker Wilson, senior, decided to hold a protest of his own. The counter-protest was in support of the Manhattan High Gay-Straight Alliance, who the protest was specifically aimed against.

As cheers of the MHS students grew louder and engine roars from students arriving at school became more often, the WBC protest was brought to nothing but silence.

“I didn’t actually get to hear anything they said because of everyone [around me blocking it out],” Wilson said. “I did see one of their signs, and I just don’t get it. There is enough hate that people have to deal with, with things going on in their daily lives or the stress of high school, so I don’t understand why bring more. I was just glad that the positive message of our side was heard more than the hateful, insulting comments they were trying to throw at us.”

WBC members have traveled the country hosting several protests, giving the same message that they gave Manhattan High. WBC protested Grand Blanc High School in Michigan because a transgender student was listed on their homecoming court. During this protest, Grand Blanc students had the same response Manhattan High did, which is refusing to listen to WBC and instead show support for their community. Despite their audience having this reaction multiple times, WBC continues to preach the same message.

“These children have been raised in lies,” WBC member Rebekah Phelps-Roper said. “I have been raised in the truth of God, [these children] are told from the cradle that you are perfect just the way you are and that you can engage in whatever sin you want to and the lord is going to love you and you’re going to go to heaven and you have nothing to worry about, and that is the worst lie you can tell someone. [This lie] does not cause them to repent and it doesn’t cause them to see that they need a savior like all humans stand in need of a savior.”

While the counter-protest did bring attention to WBC’s message, GSA did not take part in the protest as an organization. Some members still chose to partake in the protest, but the majority of the club thought it better to ignore the WBC.

“I didn’t really look at their signs,” junior and GSA president Anya Wesley said. “I’m aware of what they say and I’m not really to affected by it because I have a good support system, so it made [the signs] almost funny because of how outlandish it was. I feel saddened for the people who are affected by these things, like for those who see it outside of school and then see the same thing, that’s disheartening.”