More Than 1,000 to Protest in Sacramento Outside of Church Where Pastor Delivered Controversial Sermon on Orlando Attack

An estimated 1,000 people are expected to gather in North Sacramento Sunday to protest a local pastor who delivered a controversial sermon hours after the June 12 terrorist attack on a gay Orlando nightclub.

Pastor Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church told his congregation last Sunday that they “shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites,” sparking widespread outrage and garnering the critique of Christian leaders.

Pastor Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church (Image source: Scaramento Bee)

Given the reactions to Jimenez’s sermon and subsequent comments, law enforcement is preparing for large crowds, KOVR-TV reported.

More than 100 people from Sacramento’s LGBT community gathered Wednesday evening to protest Jimenez, the Sacramento Bee reported.

John Hayden, who created the Facebook page for the June 19 event, included a note explaining why he believes a larger protest is in order:

Why am I calling to action the people of Sacramento? The Verity Baptist Church is right here in our own backyard. It disgusts me that this immoral, sacrilegious individual is spewing hatred and ignorance, and is condoning murder to his churchgoers who may not be old enough to see what true religion is instead of the brainwashing he is doing.

I am calling for a peaceful protest for anyone who would like to join me. I won’t stand for this. Not in my own backyard. The church opens at 10:00am. I would like to assemble at 8:30 am — so the members see what they are walking in to. Make signs, we can make a rally cry, I’ll make it up along with anyone who would like to help me organize. I don’t care if I’m the only one out there. But it is my hope that we can [draw] attention to this “pastor” and church, because this is what homegrown terrorism looks like.

According to KOVR, Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies have been in communication with the protesters and the church and will have provide ample security around the church on Sunday to ensure that things do not escalate to violence.

“We have requested there be no weapons at the event whatsoever and that has been made clear to both sides,” sheriff’s spokesman Tony Turnbull told KOVR.

As of Saturday, more than 1,000 people said that they plan on attending the protest. Another 2,300 indicated that they were “interested” in attending.