by Guy Page
In a cellphone video taken Saturday, April 13, opponents of a prayer and worship presence outside the Vermont State House in Montpelier can be seen blowing a noisemaker into the ear of the Christian worship leader (at about the 34 second mark) while many others bang on pots and other loud devices.
Supporters of the Don’t Mess With Our Kids prayer gathering said a large, loud crowd of opponents gathered shortly after the music started.
Don’t Mess With Our Kids is a national group, concerned about growing trends in trans programming and teenage abortion, wanted a prayer presence at every state capital. A spokesman for the other group said they knew about the 50-state initiative and were there to oppose the Vermont prayer and worship presence.
The scene was reminiscent of the group of anti-police agitators who descended on a July, 2020 “Back the Blue” rally at the State House lawn. Speakers were unable to be heard due to noisemakers, and police did nothing to stop the disruption.
Someone who was there told me –
“There were about 20 of us that gathered on the Statehouse lawn and sidewalk to Worship and then pray for the children and families of Vermont and the nation.
“With our permit in hand, we were not expecting any issues other than the chance of rain. Just as we were beginning, a group of people began arriving. As our worship leader began playing, the group, (continuing to grow in size), began banging on pans, blowing whistles and using a bullhorn and “white noise” machines. They pushed their way into our group on the steps and tried to drown out our worship music.
“A few of them released piercing noise into the ears of several people who were surrounding the young lady playing her guitar.
“We continued to stand our ground without reacting to the other groups bullying tactics towards us. Within about 15 minutes of our starting the other group was at least double our size and were doing everything possible to get us to shut down and leave.
“The other group was large, well organized and intent on bullying, and injuring the hearing of the women who had gathered under the banner of Don’t Mess With Our Kids.”
Eventually, with support too little and too late from Montpelier despite having a crowd permit, the prayer group left.
Glenn Taylor, who can be seen directing the noisemaker away from the worship leader at about the 36 second mark, expressed disappointment with the police response – or rather, the lack of it.
“At issue was that the police didn’t move the harassment away from our gathering at the Statehouse. They allowed the harassment to continue within our personal space.
“The police took about half hour to arrive and we had already been involved for about 25 minutes before that. I first called State House Security and the call was picked up by the answering service. They did not tell me that there is no security on the weekends.
“I then called 911 when there was no response from the State House Security. When the two officers of the Montpelier police arrived, one officer spoke with someone from the opposition for a few minutes, while a number of us were still trying to box out (a basketball move) trying to keep the harassers away from surrounding a young lady who was leading worship.
“The officers didn’t really seem to see the need to separate them from pressing in upon us. When the leader of the gathering and myself spoke with one officer, he warned us not to touch them. etc.
“I requested if the officer could get them out of our space and he said they could not! And then only after strongly compelling and pointing out individuals to the officer, did he go to a few of the opposition and give them a warning.
“At other Capitals where there were problems, the police kept the opposition out of the space and separate from those involved with the gathering.
“According to the ACLU, if there are two opposition groups, the police can separate them especially if opposition group is not enabling the other group to do the presentation. They both have the right to speak.
“With all this we do believe that there was a witness of Christ love and of His glory! I told some of the opposition that we had actually come to repent and ask God’s and their forgiveness for not always representing Christ to them! We agreed with them that there needs to be more done to protect and help the LGBTQ people and I was also able to apologize for some of their hurts, and told an individual that abuse that was done to him was not right.
“For several minutes the worship leader was in Intercession of tears. I know that many who were at this meeting received an even greater burden to pray for the LGBTQ people as individuals to receive the love of the truth and receive our saviors great love and healing.
“It came to my remembrance that after the passage of gay marriage in Vermont, how the Lord had allowed gay marriage in Vermont because He is going to receive an even greater harvest from this community that are in need of His love into His kingdom! We are actually not complete without them!
“They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love… yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love!”
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