The Reverend Fred Phelps, of the Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, issued a press release this week saying his group will picket the Provincetown International Film Festival. Or, as the press release described the event, "the sodomite whorehouse orgy masquerading as The Provincetown International Film Festival."

Phelps, of course, is notorious for his vicious demonstrations against gay and lesbian people. His group, for instance, picketed the funeral of murdered college student Matthew Shepard, whose killers attacked Shepard because he was gay. Their placards proclaimed "God Hates Fags" and "Gay Matt in Hell."

He's also notorious for threatening to show up and then not doing so. "We don't know any of the details" of his planned visit, Provincetown Police Chief Ted Meyer tells the Phoenix. If it does occur, it could take place anytime during the week-long event, which begins June 18 and runs through June 22. Nevertheless, Meyer, along with Provincetown Town Manager Keith Bergman called a meeting Friday morning of town officials, activists, clergy, and law enforcement officials to plan a response to a possible Phelps P-town picket. "We talked about how they did it the last time," Meyer says, referring to Phelps's last demonstration in Provincetown. "It went kind of as a nonevent."

Indeed, townspeople essentially ignored the protest, says Provincetown Town Clerk Greta Holman, who also attended the Friday planning meeting. Instead, the only people who counter-protested were from an out-of-town organization of atheists. "The town itself, we just put yellow ribbons everywhere and the equal rights commission's equal sign was everywhere," Holman says. "We don't cotton to any kind of hate in town."

The consensus of many at the meeting, Meyer and Holman say, is to ignore Phelps. "We hope that the community at large will ignore him," Meyer says. That said, there's a big difference between a Phelps picket held on a cold and rainy November day and one held during the summer season while the Provincetown International Film Festival is in full swing.

"The only concern is that we would have to get the word out not just to the people who are here year round but the people who are visiting that we don't want to get into a major confrontation," Holman says. "There will be a lot of people coming off the fast ferry or route 6 the day before or the day of."

Meyer says an information sheet will be distributed to guest houses, inns, and other establishments frequented by tourists that will alert people to the potential picket by Phelps. "Visitors will know what's going on and that there's nothing to worry about," Meyer says.

Also, the Reverend Brenda Haywood of the Unitarian Universalist church plans to organize "peacekeeper" volunteers, Meyer added. These volunteers will be identified by t-shirts and will mingle throughout any crowds that gather around Phelps and work to diffuse any tension or name calling that takes place.

If Phelps does picket in town, he will be given a place to demonstrate behind town hall, Meyer says. "Our job will be to contain him, allow him his free speech, and make sure the public doesn't tie up traffic. We have an obligation to protect Fred Phelps and his associates."

Holman emphasizes that none of the town leaders wants to "get into a major confrontation" with Phelps. "We want to give everyone the right to speak whether we agree with it or not."

"At this juncture, we believe we've got everything in place should he decide to come," says Meyer.