The body of Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Price arrives at Tulip City Airport (August 8, 2012)
HOLLAND, Mich. (WZZM) - Holland Marine Daniel Price, who was killed in combat in Afghanistan last month, will be laid to rest this weekend.
There is a group that says it will protest his funeral. It's a group that thrives off media publicity and WZZM 13 has decided not to use the group's name. There is also a local movement to fight back against the group.
Wednesday morning, pride and sadness surrounded the Tulip City Airport as the body of Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Price arrived.
"Its very emotional and powerful to come together for someone who did so much for us," said one person attending.
However, an uninvited third party is stirring up another emotion for Price's funeral.
"I've seen a lot in the media that has angered me," says Tracey Hargreaves, organizer of the Human Shield.
The media reports are about a group of protesters that plan to demonstrate at the funeral. In response, Hargreaves organized a group she calls a human shield.
"We're already looking at 2,500 people on Facebook alone and we're hoping we can block their view," says Hargreaves.
However, many times the group says it plans to protest but is a no-show.
"The sad thing is the media are falling for it," says Ginny Seyferth, President of Seyferth Public Relations.
Seyferth says the best defense may be to simply ignore the threat.
"When the media gets sick of being used and the public says I'm not watching that news or reading that paper, then the media will get it," says Seyferth.
The media attention the group is getting would cost thousands of dollars if it was an advertise campaign. Hargreaves says it would be better if the group was completely ignored.
"It doesn't happen that way, but I think it would be best," says Hargreaves.
"The hope is that the biggest headline will be that a soldier gave their life," says Seyferth.