While it claims "God hates the media," the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has taken to social media to announce its planned protests, which includes Robin Williams' funeral.
Labelled by the WBC as a "Fag Pimp," Williams was found dead in his home in Tiburon, Calif. on Aug. 11. On the same day, the WBC announced its plans to picket the late actor's funeral despite the Williams family's request for privacy and respect.
One of the WBC tweets about the planned protest reads, "Indeed we could and did! @Independent: WBC could picket Robin Williams' funeral after saying he's 'hated by God.'"
The family has announced the funeral will be held in San Francisco near his home in a "very private" ceremony.
In response to the WBC's plan to picket Williams' funeral, a non-profit organization called Planting Peace is set to challenge the protest with a fundraiser.
"Robin Williams played many different roles in so many people's lives, and giving back to others was at the top of that list. His appeal crossed generational boundaries," Planting Peace co-founder Aaron Jackson said in a statement issued to Huffington Post.
Jackson said he was "personally impacted" when he heard of Williams' passing and Planting Peace's effort to stop the WBC's planned protest is "a small gesture to honor his legacy and the difference he made to so many."
"When the WBC announced they were protesting Robin's funeral, we felt like launching a fundraiser for a charity Robin loved would be the perfect way to honor him and counteract the message of hate and intolerance that the WBC continues to convey," he added.
The proceeds from Planting Peace's fundraiser will benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital, an organization supported by Williams.
On the other hand, Williams' funeral is not included in the picket schedule posted on the WBC website. Instead, among the celebrities scheduled to be picketed by the Kansas-based anti-gay group according to the website are Miranda Lambert and Goo Goo Dolls.
It must also be noted the WBC has announced planned protests before and gained media attention but actually did not show up, according to CBS San Francisco.
Meanwhile, after a Marin County coroner revealed graphic details of Williams' suicide, his wife Susan Schneider announced the actor was suffering from Parkinson's disease at the time of his death, Los Angeles Times reported.
"Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly," Schneider said in a statement.
