Students at Missouri State University braved the snow to block out a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church against recently out football star Michael Sam.

While en route to join his Mizzou Tigers teammates in accepting 2014’s Cotton Bowl trophy on Saturday, the Westboro Baptist Church chose to protest the young athlete for his decision to come out as gay. Mizzou students rallied together surrounding the perimeter in order to block out the anti-gay protest with a “wall of love”.

Westboro Baptist Church, known for their extreme homophobic ideologies, tweeted:

Yes! Westboro made it to @mizzou & we got just the Light to shine on this dark @mikesamfootball fag mess, @espn! pic.twitter.com/z4aJXZjMiT

— Westboro Baptist (@WBCSays) February 15, 2014

 

Thankfully, hundreds of Sam supporters gathered in solidarity to ensure that the Westboro members were completely blocked from view as Sam’s car drove past the protest. “Our hope is for the wall to reflect a unified student body and symbolize a display of love towards our own tiger, Michael Sam,” said students Kelaney Lakers and Alix Carruth. “We’re humbled and a bit overwhelmed by the community’s response. This issue is so much bigger than either of us, and we want to do justice to Michael Sam and show him that Mizzou loves him.”

Sam expressed his appreciation the support later that day, tweeting:

Thank you for all of my Mizzou family for your support. Divided we are weak, Together we are Strong. #OneMizzou pic.twitter.com/SMAPZHk2hX

— Michael Sam (@MikeSamFootball) February 16, 2014

Watch a video taken by one Sam supporter here: