Despite their stated intentions to protest at the wake for Dawn Hochsprung, members of the Westboro Baptist Church did not show up this afternoon. Folks from as far away as Massachusetts came to protect against those protests, just in case.
Update as of 3:20 p.m. on Dec. 19:
Applause erupted in the crowd along the streets of Woodbury as it was announced that members of the Westboro Baptist Church were not coming to protest at the wake for Dawn Hochsprung, the Sandy Hook School principal who was among the 26 victims of the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn.
Nicole Sabel of the Women's Center of Greater Danbury made the announcement.
Update as of 3:05 p.m. on Dec. 19:
The wake for Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung just got underway and there is still no sign of protestors outside the Woodbury funeral home where it is taking place.
The are, however, people there to protect against possible protests by Westboro Baptist Church. And hundreds of others who are there to show solidarity with Newtown in the wake of the
Dec. 14 school shooting that took the life of 26 people — 20 children and six adults.
Lines have formed outside the funeral as people come to pay their respects to
the beloved principal.
Update as of 2:10 p.m. on Dec. 19:
A group of motorcyclists from as far away as New York are standing outside the funeral home in Woodbury, to protect the families, they say.
One, Jim Hannigan of New York, said, "All these guys see us and think we're bad. We're not. It's solidarity, is what it is."
"I just felt I had to be here," he said.
Update as of 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 19:
There has been no sign so far of Westboro Baptist Church members outside the Woodbury funeral home where a wake will take place today for Dawn Hochsprung, the Sandy Hook School principal who was killed on Dec. 14, according to a police officer on duty there...............
complete status here :
http://newtown.patch...emorial-service