It was 200 against four in Washington Circle Thursday morning, as a slew of students and local community members gathered to rally against the small group of radical Westboro Baptist Church members who showed up to protest the University.

The Kansas-based conservative group known for protesting soldiers’ funerals was on campus to picket American college students for being what they call “God-hating heathens,” but was met by a counter-protest that filled the Pennsylvania Ave. and 23rd Street side of the park. More than 20 D.C. police officers were on hand to block physical interaction between the protesters, the counter-protesters and the public.

Many of the students at the protest wore blue t-shirts which read “I’m Gay for Today,” a slogan created by three GW seniors to counteract the anti-gay message of the WBC. Many students held signs that mocked the WBC’s radical ideologies, including ones that read “Fred Phelps wishes he was hot like me.”

One GW student who declined to reveal his name, wore a biblical-era costume, a long brown beard and held a sign that said “No I don’t,” in reference to the WBC’s sign that read, “Jesus Hates You.”

The demonstration was described as “peaceful” and “quiet” by numerous students, and some said that they were proud that GW didn’t stoop to the level of the loud WBC members.

“I really disagree with all the signs [members of the WBC] display, so I’m really happy a lot of people came out to support this side of the fence,” said student Ben Kline. “I’m glad there was some sort of event to pull all of us together outside this early in the morning.”

The WBC members left the Circle at close to 8:30 a.m. to head to their next stop in Arlington National Cemetery to protest Thursday’s Veterans Day ceremonies.

Hatchet Staff Writer Justin Kits contributed to this report.