Anti-Gay Protesters Disrupt Pete Buttigieg Event in Iowa

Homophobic protesters have been coming to Pete Buttigieg's campaign events in Iowa this week, chanting anti-gay messages with Christian themes.

At a speech in Fort Dodge on Wednesday, two men interrupted the Democratic hopeful with chants about Sodom and Gomorrah, The Hill reports, before they were shouted down by supporters attending the event. Sodom and Gomorrah are two cities that the Bible says were destroyed by God as punishment for its residents' indulgent behavior -- a passage that's often weaponized against queer people to condemn homosexuality. Buttigieg, who officially declared his presidential candidacy at a campaign event on Sunday, is gay.

Video footage of the incident aired by MSNBC's Morning Joe shows the protesters yelling "Sodom and Gomorrah, Pete! Remember Sodom and Gomorrah!" before event-goers shout them down with chants of "Pete! Pete! Pete! Pete!"

The men -- one of whom USA Todayidentifies as anti-abortion Christian extremist Randall Terry -- were escorted out of the event. Buttigieg, who has served as the Mayor of South Bend, Ind., since 2011, quickly brushed off the interruption.

"The good news is the condition of my soul is in the hands of God, but the Iowa caucuses are up to you," he said. "Remember the beauty of our democracy. Everyone here gets the exact same voice and vote. Feels like the numbers are on our side."

Three protesters also came to a campaign event in Marshallstown on Wednesday dressed as Jesus, Satan, and Buttigieg. CNN reporter Dan Merica says that they're "the same protesters" from Tuesday's event and identifies one of them as Terry.

A spokesman for the Buttigieg campaign declined to comment on the incidents.

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