With messages of love and peace, a sea of rainbows branded the crowd of protesters outside San Diego High School on Oct. 16. San Diego students, mostly from nearby San Diego City College and San Diego High School counter protested six members of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) around 2 p.m.

According to city college student Aaron Brown, “It was a lot of drama,” he said, noting it was much to do about nothing.

San Diego High School is comprised of six smaller schools, each with their own principal.

“The teachings at San Diego High School are consistent with every other school in our district,” said Jack Brandais of the communications department for San Diego City Schools in response to WBC claims the school “teaches students it is ok to be gay.”

“Each of the schools has made an opportunity for their students to discuss the protest if they wish. We had some questions before this group came, whether we were going to allow them on campus. There’s a difference between student free speech and free expression versus people from the outside.”

According to some protesters, the WBC members protested across the street from San Diego High School because there were so many pro-gay protesters. The anti-gay group left after 30 minutes.

“I think they got intimidated,” Brown said. “Most people like that tend to leave and hide.”

Many protesters shared Brown’s sentiments on the issue.

“We definitely over powered them,” and “they know they lost,” were common phrases students used.

“Obviously people here are more accepting than they are in Topeka, Kansas,” Grossmont College student Savannah Brittian said. The WBC’s headquarters is in Topeka, Kansas. “If there is a God he loves all of his children. It even says that in their bible.”

The WBC protest was one of several protests across San Diego County and Southern California. The group’s Web site contains a calendar featuring its tour and focused this protest on an anti-gay agenda, while others that have taken place during the week in the county were slated as anti-semitic.

WBC members held signs saying “America is doomed.” One sign cited a passage from a Bible verse in Leviticus stating “You will eat your babies.”

“Obama is the anti-Christ,” Shirley Phelps-Roper, eldest daughter of WBC founder and leader Fred Phelps, told the San Diego Union Tribune. “He uses the White House as a bully pulpit to push fags and Jews.” Phelps-Roper also sang songs attacking Jews and about the end of the world.

The counter protest was arranged by the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest.

“When I came here it was loud, everyone was having a great time,” city college student Marvin Vaught said. “There was a lot of noise and a lot of water being poured on T-shirts.”

Vaught attended the protest with San Diego resident Kibo Schneider.

“How can you say God hates anything,” Schneider asked. “Their message doesn’t have any hold; especially in today’s society. I’m glad there was such an out pouring of love and light that completely blew their hate out of the water.” Schneider commented he was happy to see “San Diego’s fighting spirit.”

Some San Diegans, however, were supportive of WBC’s message. One group of San Diego High School students were seen laughing and carrying a sign saying “No gays” as they left the dwindling protest. Brittian and her friends pointed and laughed at the group.

“Obviously that proves who the smarter people are,” she triumphantly declared.

The police estimated the crowd to be between four and six hundred people. Protesters praised the police for helping to keep the peace.

The presence of the WBC in San Diego did not seem to worry protesters.

“I always tell people there’s no need to get upset,” Brown continued. “There will be a time where all of this is going to pass and hopefully we won’t have to protest and have rallys. There will come a time where gay people will be more accepted.”