3:30pm | A small gathering of three men from the extremist Christian group Official Street Preachers assembled near the bookstore at Long Beach State (CSULB) today amidst a furor of controversy. Though the group was minute in their presence, their large signs claiming homosexuality was akin to terrorism sent hordes of students to approach them. Yesterday, they were protesting against Muslims.

According to one faculty member who wished to be unnamed, it is “the same group who protests every year in the same exact place. It’s [as] redundant as it is disruptive because [the students] become so easily distracted by it.” And clearly, not distracted because they support the group but because the response against the group continually gets larger each year.

Shaking his head, his point was one of bittersweetness: “I would never tell one of my kids to not stand up against something they thought was wrong. I couldn’t be happier to see them do such a thing so I don’t blame them. But when their anger is brought into my class — and I already have little time with them [due to the furloughs and limited class hours] — and I spend my hour-and-whatever having to calm them down instead of educating them… It’s frustrating.” 

A student attempts to argue with one of the protestors.

A student from the LGBT Alliance Center shows of the front of his sign…

…along with the back.

Students gather around the anti-gay protestors.

Students begin to argue with the protestors against their beliefs.

A particular student’s anger rises as he attempts to converse with one of the protestors.