Monday, April 22, 2013

Boston Teamsters to Westboro Baptists: 'Show your face'

Off-duty Teamsters came out en masse to protect Krystle Campbell's funeral
from Westboro Baptists. Thanks to Crystal Haynes for the photo.
(UPDATES to ADD 3 penultimate grafs to ADD O'Brien quotes.)

Westboro Baptists are afraid to show their faces before the more than a thousand Boston Teamsters protecting the funeral Mass for Krystle Campbell.

Brother Steve Sullivan from Teamsters Local 25 tells us there is no sign of the Westboro Baptists outside of St. Joseph's Church in Medford, where the funeral Mass is being held for the 29-year-old victim of the Boston Marathon bombing.

That hasn't stopped the hate group from claiming online to be there -- and from posting taunts on Twitter.

"U c us in Boston?" the Westboro Baptist Church tweeted to the Boston Globe, the Boston police and Teamsters. "look around u."

Teamsters Local 25 replied on Twitter: "Show your face. We're here in the open."

More than a thousand off-duty Teamsters answered Local 25 President Sean O'Brien's call to form a human shield to protect Krystle's funeral. We understand UNITE HERE members are also there. Krystle's mother Patty and brother Billy are both long-time members of UNITE HERE Local 26 in Boston. Patty has been a member of Local 26 since 1983, and Billy since 2000.

“I’ve never been prouder to be a Teamster and a Bostonian,” said Sean O’Brien, president of Local 25 in Boston. “The city of Boston is filled with people who care about each other and will lift each other up when we are down or need a hand.”

O’Brien encouraged Teamster members to donate to the memorial fund set up by UNITE HERE’s Local 26.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Krystle M. Campbell Memorial Fund, 25 Park St., Medford, MA 02155.
Solidarity!