Gay Protest Disrupts Church Services

More than 75 militant gays angered by fundamentalist Christian views on homosexuality, AIDS and gay rights issues descended on a major Orange County church during services Sunday in a raucous protest that ended in three arrests.

Three activists disrupted an 11:15 a.m. service at Calvary Chapel in south Santa Ana by yelling “Stop crucifying queers!” They were pushed out of the sanctuary by ushers and arrested by police on suspicion of trespassing.

The incident lasted more than three hours and was witnessed by thousands of worshipers. Outside the church, police formed a line to separate protesters from churchgoers.

Inside, church ushers scuffled with the activists. “They fought us and we had to take them out forcibly,” said one usher. Another usher said a protester bit his hand.

A few activists marching on the perimeter of the church’s property were pelted by eggs thrown from the back yard of a home across Fairview Road.

The protest was organized by the radical group Queer Nation, sometimes described as the “shock troops” of the gay rights movement. Most waged their protest in a theatrical picket line that featured men wearing dresses, fishnet stockings and nuns’ habits.

“God chose me to be queer,” proclaimed one man’s sign. Other slogans described sex acts. Two men kissed as churchgoers looked on. The activists say their tactics are intended to offend people they regard as their oppressors.

Some churchgoers gawked at the protest while others hustled their children into cars. Russell McCall, holding his Bible, began singing: “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Later, McCall said that “in a younger time, without the Lord,” he might have attacked the protesters.

Calvary Church was targeted because some of its flock regularly travel to West Hollywood and other gay enclaves to preach against homosexuality, Queer Nation members said.

“They started a war on us,” said Queer Nation member Wayne Karr, wearing a shirt that said “Infected Faggot.”

Karr said a few months ago he was confronted by a Calvary church member outside a gay-oriented bookstore in West Hollywood. “This woman told me ‘Jesus gave you AIDS,’ ” he said.

“They come to us. We’ll go to them,” Karr said. “We’ve had 2,000 years of persecution and we’re not going to take it anymore.”