Video: Demonstrations planned at Mount Si High School

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SEATTLE - Demonstrations are planned Friday at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie where some students plan a Day of Silence in support of gay and lesbian students.

A Redmond pastor, the Rev. Ken Hutcherson of the Antioch Bible Church, has called for 1,000 "prayer warriors" to protest in front of the school. Hutcherson says his protest will be peaceful.

Groups that support gay students plan a counter-protest in Snoqualmie.

Almost 200 students at Mount Si High School have signed up to take part to support gay and lesbian students at the school.

"To stand up for students who can't stand up for themselves because they've been harassed or threatened," said Katie Storrs.

Pastor Ken Hutcherson is a parent at the school. He has his own T-shirt expressing outrage that a school club is allowed to conduct a day-long demonstration on school grounds. He took out an ad in a local paper inviting parents to protest the Day of Silence outside the school.

In response to Hutcherson's ad, the Tolt United Church of Christ took out an ad in support of the demonstrating students and they're planning a counter-protest.

Fearing a clash, many parents are talking about keeping their kids out of school Friday.

The Day of Silence is a national event sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

The controversy at Mount Si began when the school invited Hutcherson to speak at a Martin Luther King Day assembly. He was booed and accused of being hypocritical for supporting civil rights for African Americans but not homosexuals.

KING 5's Elisa Hahn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.