A New York pastor shouted racist and anti-gay slurs at about 1,000 participants of last week's "Love Not Hate" rally in Harlem. The protesters expressed their indignation at Pastor James David Manning's Atlah Worldwide Church for its anti-LGBT stance.
The protesters included New York state Assemblyman Keith Wright, DNAInfo reported.
Manning's remarks and action were captured in a video posted by blogger Joe My God on YouTube.
Manning first gained fame when he claimed that Starbucks baristas were secretly adding semen to customers' lattes.
His church also displays anti-gay messages, which Wright said are offensive.
"The messages displayed by the Atlah Church are not reflective of this community, but are grossly offensive hate speech that has no place in the streets of Harlem," Wright said, according to the Huffington Post.
"Today, humankind finds itself surrounded by the tragedies of war. In upper Manhattan and abroad, we are crippled by problems of inequality. Record-high debt is ensconcing countries, communities, families and individuals. There is no time or attention left to spend spreading a message of bigotry. Today, the truest members of the Harlem community are speaking up and we reject this display of hatred by Atlah Church."
The church may face fines of up to $11,5000 for ignoring landmark violations, according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Last August, the church was found guilty of five landmark violations including the installation of a large sign that it uses to display anti-gay messages, DNAInfo reported.
It was served a second round of violation and has been ordered to appear before the Environmental Control Board in December.
The church has not paid the original fine of $1,825 as it does not have the money, Manning said.
"I plan to pay them," he said. "I don't have the money right now; we are cash-strapped."
