Controversial Kan. church to picket Spokane colleges, churches

SPOKANE — The controversial Westboro Baptist Church is bringing its anti-gay and anti-Semitic views to the Inland Northwest.

The Kansas-based group plans to picket several colleges and churches in Spokane on Thursday and in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, today.

In some cases, the institutions are planning counterdemonstrations. At others they are ignoring Westboro, which has gained attention by carrying insulting signs at funerals for U.S. military war casualties.

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