Asheville, North Carolina -
Eleven gay and lesbian protestors were arrested on the weekend during a rally in Asheville, North Carolina to promote traditional marriage. The event, called a Rally For Family Values and the Sanctity of Marriage Between a Man and a Woman, had a permit to use City-County Plaza, but before it began about 150 gays and lesbians took over the plaza for their own pro same-sex marriage demonstration.
When people began to arrive for the rally police set up a line between the two groups. As speakers at the rally, organized by several local Baptist churches condemned gay marriage the counter protestors began to heckle them.
"God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," the Rev. Wendell Runion told the crowd. "I have news for those who want to marry who are man and man or woman and woman: The Bible says that cannot happen."
"I want to see a show of hands of anyone on this planet who wasn't born from a man and woman," said Brad Jones, a rally organizer.
Gay protesters held up signs reading "Don't Write Discrimination Into The Constitution" and "Separate Is Never Equal" and chanted, "We're here, we're queer, we're not going away."
The war of words between the two groups escalated and police attempted to move the gay counter protest away from the plaza and to another grassy area across the street, but some in the group resisted.
Several broke through the line and were tackled by police before being hauled away.
The charges range from trespassing and disorderly conduct to 1 charge of assault against a police officer and two of obstruction, Asheville police spokesperson told 365Gay.com.
All 11 were later released and ordered to appear in court April 5.
Some of the counter protestors accuse the police of overreacting.
"They arrested my friend and she fell to the ground and she was dragged off. She wasn't doing anything but holding a sign," said Mary Theus of Asheville.
©365Gay.com® 2004
When people began to arrive for the rally police set up a line between the two groups. As speakers at the rally, organized by several local Baptist churches condemned gay marriage the counter protestors began to heckle them.
"God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," the Rev. Wendell Runion told the crowd. "I have news for those who want to marry who are man and man or woman and woman: The Bible says that cannot happen."
"I want to see a show of hands of anyone on this planet who wasn't born from a man and woman," said Brad Jones, a rally organizer.
Gay protesters held up signs reading "Don't Write Discrimination Into The Constitution" and "Separate Is Never Equal" and chanted, "We're here, we're queer, we're not going away."
The war of words between the two groups escalated and police attempted to move the gay counter protest away from the plaza and to another grassy area across the street, but some in the group resisted.
Several broke through the line and were tackled by police before being hauled away.
The charges range from trespassing and disorderly conduct to 1 charge of assault against a police officer and two of obstruction, Asheville police spokesperson told 365Gay.com.
All 11 were later released and ordered to appear in court April 5.
Some of the counter protestors accuse the police of overreacting.
"They arrested my friend and she fell to the ground and she was dragged off. She wasn't doing anything but holding a sign," said Mary Theus of Asheville.
©365Gay.com® 2004
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.
