Final answer:
In the Snyder v. Phelps case, the Westboro Baptist Church was protesting the US law treatment of LGBTQ individuals, emphasizing the First Amendment rights to free expression and peaceable assembly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Westboro Baptist Church members involved in the Snyder v. Phelps case were protesting the treatment of LGBTQ individuals under US law. The case is significant for its implications on free expression and the balance of such rights with the interests of public order. The Supreme Court ruling underscored that although the church's actions were considered by many to be offensive, they were protected under the First Amendment because the protests were at a public forum and concerned matters of public interest, not directed at private individuals.
The case serves as an example of how free expression, including the right to peaceably assemble and petition government, is a broad right but subject to reasonable limits to maintain public order. The ruling highlighted the court's position that content of speech is protected, whereas the nature, place, and timing of protests can be reasonably regulated.