The Phelps family (Westboro Baptist Church) have a world wide reputation as a hate group. One of them was arrested Tuesday while demonstrating at a soldiers funeral.

A member of the Kansas group that has drawn criticism for protesting at soldiers’ funerals has been arrested for letting her 10-year-old son stomp on a U.S. flag during a demonstration. She promised Wednesday to challenge the state’s flag desecration law in court.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, 49, will be charged with flag mutilation, disturbing the peace and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said Wednesday.Phelps-Roper, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church, acknowledged that she allowed her son Jonah to stand on the flag Tuesday — something she says is protected by the U.S. Constitution.

“It’s utter nonsense,” said Phelps-Roper, a lawyer. “I don’t know what else to tell you other than that we’ll see them in federal court.”

Phelps-Roper is a daughter of Westboro’s founder, the Rev. Fred Phelps. Members have protested at more than 280 military funerals in 43 states since June 2005, she said.

The group says the deaths of U.S. soldiers are God’s punishment for a nation that harbors gays and lesbians. Nebraska and 37 other states have laws restricting how close protesters can get to funerals, inspired at least in part by the Westboro protests.

Tuesday’s funeral in suburban Bellevue was for Nebraska Army National Guard Spc. William “Bill” Bailey, who was killed May 25 when an explosive device struck his vehicle in Iraq.

Phelps-Roper was arrested because she was involved in a potentially volatile situation in the presence of Bailey’s friends, relatives and fellow soldiers, Polikov said. Bellevue has a strong military presence, with Offutt Air Force Base located at the south edge of town.

While the charges are misdemeanors, the County Attorney says he may lay a charge of negligent child abuse against Phelps-Roper for putting her son in such a volatile situation. 17 states have passed or are considering laws prohibiting protests near funeral sites, before, during or just after a ceremony.  The Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act  was passed by the US government in May 2006.  It is being challenged. Fred Phelps, the father of 13 children (4 of which are estranged) has a ‘congregation’ of about 71 people. 60 are related to him.

Fred Phelps - wiki

People have speculated the Phelps family is a hoax, an elaborate charade to discredit conservatives, or make Christians look like idiots. 
However people that know Fred Phelps (including his estranged children) have said in interviews he is delusional and addicted to hate.
His estranged children asserted his religious beliefs were none existent or have dwindled down to nothing. In 1994, his son Mark wrote a letter to the people of Topeka through the Capital Journal.