Westboro Baptist Church Names Dennis Kancler's Funeral on Its Website

The Westboro Baptist Church, the anti-gay group that holds protests at military funerals, has posted a notice on its website about on Thursday.

The group references the time and location of the service, but does not say if they plan to attend.  

Brecksville Police Chief Richard Mannarino said the group would need a permit to protest and that the city has had no contact with them as of Tuesday afternoon. They do not currently have a permit, he added. The group also does not have the Brecksville funeral listed on its picket schedule. 

In any event, the Ohio Patriot Guard Riders will be in attendance at the funeral on Thursday, as they were in Tuesday’s procession. Brian Scheuermann, the district 3 ride captain, said the group started as a counter-protest against the Westboro group, but has since grown. If the protesters were to attend, the riders would do their best to shield the family from seeing them, he said. 

Overall, the group will be there to “honor him and his family for his sacrifice,” Scheuermann said. Not all of the members are veterans—Scheuermann is not—and not all ride motorcycles, he said. There are other ways, like standing along the road, that people can show support. The group’s members attend funerals for fallen soldiers, welcome home veterans returning from combat or work to help wounded soldiers in the United States. 

Anyone who wishes to show their support for the Kanclers with the group can contact Scheuermann by email for more information.