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Hamilton Square Baptist Church Riot

157 bytes removed, 11:39, March 7, 2008
create re-usable refernce to Christianity Today article
[[Image:HamSquare.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Hamilton Square Baptist Church]]
The [[documentary film]] [[A Nation Adrift]] chronicles some of the events that took place during the '''Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot''' in [[San Francisco]] on the date of September 19, 1993 in which a angry group of male [[homosexuals]] and [[lesbian]]s vandalized church property, assaulted church members, terrorized church congregants, screamed profanity, threw rocks, harassed and scared children, and disrupted a church service.<refname = "ctoday">[[Christianity Today]], November 8, 1993, v37, page 57</ref><ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref> <ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiots_Barko_Account.htm</ref><ref>http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41037</ref> During the riot the rioters pounded on the church doors and attempted to kick them down. When the rioters saw church children standing in the lobby, they shouted "We want your children. Give us your children." <ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref> During the riot an eight year old mentally handicapped girl was verbally accosted when exiting through the front entrance of the church and was so traumatized that she fell down the church steps.<ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref> In addition, a nine year old boy, was hysterically crying and said "They are after me. It's me they want." The nine year old boy did not calm down until the family was several miles from the building.<ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref>
According to Pastor David Innes, Senior Pastor of Hamilton Square Baptist church, the protesters
denied people entrance to the church and in some cases did it by physical contact. <ref>Christianity Today, November 8, 1993, v37, page 57<name = "ctoday"/ref>
When people entered the church demonstrators gave out phony flyers said to be church flyers. In addition, the phony flyers were also put on automobile windshields in the surrounding area.<ref name = "baptistpillar">http://www.baptistpillar.com/bd0204.htm</ref> By 6:00 PM that evening a riotous conditions were under way and the rioters had control of the outside church property. <ref name = "baptistpillar"/> The church asked the officer in charge several times to remove the protesters but the officer stated that things were completely under control and that police regulations and procedures prevented him from removing the rioters.<ref name = "baptistpillar"/>
Some of the details of the September 19, 1993 event are disputed. Noah Griffin, a spokesperson
for the San Francisco mayor's office, stated that "No police officer in San Francisco would stand by while someone trying to enter a church is assaulted." <ref>Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 page 57</refname = "ctoday"> However, Pastor Innes told ''[[Christianity Today]]'' that "We stand by everything in the news release. We put nothing in it that cannot be verified with video, eyewitnesses, and pictures." <ref>Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 page 57</refname = "ctoday"> In addition, the following was reported in the October 28, 1993 edition of The [[San Francisco Chronicle]]:
{{cquote|Although the two-hour protest received scant attention locally, Innis buttressed his campaign and the police investigation with videotape shot by a member of his congregation. The tape shows demonstrators jostling members entering the church, engaging in a brief shoving match with outnumbered police officers and trying to kick open a side door.}}
[[Image:Rev. Louis P. Sheldon Photo.jpg|thumb|left|[[Louis Sheldon]]]]
The day of the riot was the day Reverend [[Louis Sheldon]], of the [[Traditional Values Coalition]], was a guest speaker.<ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref>
Only the church's membership and regular attenders were notified of the service, through the church's bulletin. No public notice or invitation was made in regards to the guest speaker. <ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref> However, the September 16, 1993 edition of the [[Bay Area Reporter]], the meeting was made public in a front page article using inflammatory language. <ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref> In addition, two homosexual newspapers called for a protest. <ref>Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 page 57</refname = "ctoday"> The church received telephone calls prior to the Reverend Sheldon's arrival demanding that he should not come and threatening to disrupt the service. <ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref><ref>Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 page 57 </refname = "ctoday"> In addition, two people visited the church and told a church employee that the church could not have Reverend Sheldon as a guest speaker at the church and that they were going to stop it from happening.<ref>http://www.hamiltonsquare.net/articlesRiotsSep1993.htm</ref>
Pastor Innes told ''Christianity Today'' that he does not blame the San Francisco police but those in political power especially the board of supervisors. Innes stated, "You really can't compare San Francisco with any other city. Homosexual advocates infiltrate
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