ST. LOUIS — A dozen homosexual rights protesters who tried to disrupt the Southern Baptist Convention proceedings inside a St. Louis convention center in June were released on misdemeanor charges only hours after being arrested.
The protestors, members of the group Soulforce, initially were charged with class “D” felonies. An assistant city prosecutor, however, reduced the charges to misdemeanor trespassing, with each protester’s fines and court costs totaling about $250.
Soulforce has demonstrated at the SBC the last three years against the SBC’s stances against the homosexual lifestyle.
In St. Louis, however, the group took its actions to a new level. A dozen people entered the convention center and during President James Merritt’s address, one by one started shouting chants such as “God loves God’s gay children.” The protesters were removed from the convention floor and arrested. They were originally charged with the felony of ethnic intimidation. The so-called hate crime charge was dropped, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Those arrested pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing and were fined $100 each, plus court costs, the St. Louis Circuit Clerk’s office reported. The office also noted it was unlikely any of the individuals spent time in jail. Another 38 members of Soulforce were arrested outside the convention center trying to enter the building. According to the group, they were charged with two city ordinance violations and released after a few hours.
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