Austin has some unwelcome guests this week:

Westboro Baptists Hate Formula One

Ever wanted a chance to catch professional homophobes and veteran funeral disruptors the Westboro Baptist Church in action? Headed to the Formula One race at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend? Guess what! You can do both. Yup, the Westboro hate machine is rolling into Austin this weekend.

Yes, innovative hatemonger Fred Phelps is unleashing his offspring and assorted ill-wishers on Austin. Who’s Phelps? He’s the guy that always comes to fancy dress parties as the evil preacher from Poltergeist (or would if anyone invited him and he didn’t think parties are a sign that you love Satan.) On their website [WBC link removed], the fringiest of the religious fringe have added this weekend’s United States Grand Prix to their schedule of protests (please note, that schedule also includes pickets of Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen.)