Ohio University students traveling to classes on Wednesday afternoon faced dueling protestors outside of the top floor of Baker University Center.
Students from various organizations, including the OU College Democrats and the LGBTA Center, held a bright yellow sign reading “Standing on the side of love” to counter-protest a group of three men who said they were “independent followers of Jesus Christ.”
The three men held signs and wore sweatshirts saying “Jesus saves from hell.”
Ben Francis, a junior studying video production, film and women and gender studies, said this type of “bigotry and hate” should not be present on any college campus.
“These men are making a conscious decision to tell students that we are going to hell,” Francis said.
Brandon Labonte, an Athens resident, stood with the students and said he was “protesting a different vision.”
Labonte said he had been reading poetry about love and acceptance to the crowd that quickly formed outside of Baker University Center.
One of the original protestors, John Lengacher, said he and his two colleagues are being obedient to Jesus Christ and are spreading his message.
“We love the students here, and we want to share Christ’s love,” Lengacher said. “God doesn’t love sin, and we are warning students that they will face a day of judgment and students need to be prepared for this day. We want to warn students that they are heading towards destruction and we hope they will repent their sins.”
bc822010@ohiou.edu
