Homophobic preacher harassing Swedish royal family
A spokesman for Sweden’s royals has confirmed that American preacher Rev Fred Phelps has been faxing hate messages to them.
Phelps and his Westboro Baptist church are best known for their “God Hates Fags” campaigns in the United States.
They were the subject of a BBC2 documentary by Louis Theroux broadcast last night.
It is thought that Rev Phelps has taken against Sweden after an outspoken minister, Åke Green, was convicted of inciting hatred of gay people following a homophobic sermon.
“You’re doomed to spend eternity in hell,” Phelps is alleged to have said in one of the fax messages.
“All you Swedes and your Swedish king and his family.”
Court spokeswoman Nina Eldh told Expressen newspaper:
“I know that this is happening all the time. There have been strange faxes containing all sorts of terms of abuse.”
The Westboro Baptist church has protested at over 100 funerals of soldiers killed in the line of duty in Iraq.
Their campaign, called “Thank God for Improvised Explosive Devices” involved protesters holding up signs and chanting slogans such as “God Hates Fags,” “America is Doomed” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” at the widows of the servicemen.