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| Today in Medford. |
Hundreds of Boston Teamsters from Local 25 are answering the call to protect Krystle Campbell's funeral from a possible protest by Westboro Baptist church members. Campbell, 29, was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings.
Hundreds of Teamsters formed a solid wall on the suburban roadway approaching the church. They stood silent guard as mourners drove slowly by on the way to the 11 a.m. funeral service at St. Joseph's Church in Medford.
The Boston Globe reports the Teamsters began gathering before 8 a.m.,
Sean O’Brien, president and principal officer of Teamster’s local, said the community reached out to the Teamsters yesterday “because they know how influential we are.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” O’Brien said of the decision to protect the funeral. “The family deserves a peaceful grieving process that’s free from any coward-led group.”
O’Brien said the Teamsters mobilized their members and other unions through Twitter and Facebook yesterday. He added that about 350 teamsters are expected this morning, “and we can get 1,000 if we need them.”
The Westboro church is a fringe religious organization who stage protests at high-profile funeral services to draw attention to their views.
On Sunday, about 1,000 mourners attended Campbell’s wake at the Dello Russo funeral home here.
A funeral director said that among those who came to pay their respects were US Senator Elizabeth Warren, US Representative Edward Markey, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone.
Mourners waited in a line that sometimes lasted nearly an hour and a half to file by photo displays chronicling Campbell’s life from when she was a baby through her childhood and teen years to when she was an adult.Teamsters who want to help but can't be in Medford can donate to a memorial fund set up by UNITE HERE. UNITE HERE President D. Taylor sent this missive to members:
It is my sad duty to report that Krystle Campbell, daughter of longtime Local 26 member Patty Campbell and sister of member Billy Campbell, was among the fatalities at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday. Both Patty and Billy work at the Harvard University Business School. Patty has been a member of Local 26 since 1983, and Billy since 2000.Rest in peace, sister.
Krystle, 29, was a graduate of Medford High School and had also attended the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Krystle's funeral will be on Monday in Medford, Massachusetts. Memorial contributions may be made to the Krystle M. Campbell Memorial Fund, 25 Park St., Medford, MA 02155.
