Thousands join in prayer, protest in front of White House
WASHINGTON — The newly renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza was turned into a church Sunday morning, with thousands of mostly African American churchgoers praying, protesting, kneeling and dancing near the White House after marching from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
It was one of the largest faith-based events in the more than two weeks of protests that have consumed the nation’s capital since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer in May, and it was the first big public event organized by black clergy. Organizers said that was due to extra caution in the African American community, which has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Mask Required! Safe
Social Distancing Enforced,” instructed organizers from regional NAACP branches and Alexandria, Va.‘s historic Alfred Street Baptist Church, which has roots back to the time of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. Marshals monitored safety. Demonstrators were spaced out in rows, and organizers frequently paused the flow of marchers to keep buffers between them. People bunched up in places, but for the most part wore masks, including many with African-style patterns.
Alfred Street Pastor Howard-John Wesley said he and other clergy were also waiting for an event infused with prayer — and safety. The Trump administration forcibly removed protesters from the area near Lafayette Square on June 1, ahead of President Donald Trump’s photo-op at the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church. On Sunday, that show of federal force was replaced with prayer.
“We were waiting for a call for something not just incensed with anger but something that integrated our faith,” Rev. Wesley said. “We wanted to carve out something safe for teens — I was scared to let them come downtown. We wanted to teach them about protesting peacefully.”
And on Sunday, that is what they did.
“It’s not rage or anger. God is here and that’s hopeful,” Rev. Wesley said.
That same ground near St. John’s was transformed by afternoon into a kaleidoscope of prayers, chants, singing and preaching from Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian faith leaders. Among them was the Rev. William Barber II, one of the country’s bestknown progressive clergy, who called for a “moral reconstruction” that pulls in people of all backgrounds and races and forces sweeping policy changes rather than moderate tweaks.
“The streets aren’t calling for moderate change,” Rev. Barber said. “God help us if we don’t.”