With so many people in pain right now, Boston clergy, community leaders, and Prophetic Resistance decided their demonstration should look a little different. So they took a knee.
“Just to reflect on what happened and be in solidarity,” said St. Mary’s Episcopal church Dorchester Rev. Edwin Johnson. “Many of us were enjoying our Memorial Day and I think with so many of us it was so sad on a day when we are remembering those who gave up their life for the freedom of the country, we saw someone lose their life because of the sins of this country."
For not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, not eight, but for nearly nine minutes, they kneeled.
“George Floyd spent nine horrible torturous minutes on the ground,” said Johnson. “We kneel for him, we kneel with him.”
[ Protestors, police gear up for third night of demonstrations against George Floyd’s death ]
Along with kneeling, they spent time praying.
"Preachers have to get back to the street," said one pastor. "Justice isn’t going to be served in the church we need to go back in the streets. The last time I saw something like last night in Boston is when Martin Luther King had gotten killed and they rioted in Grove Hall.
For all of the innocent lives taken and for the people in power that contributed to their deaths, they kneeled in front of Grove Hall.
"We only protest because we have hope," said Johnson. "If we didn’t have hope, we would not be protesting.
We asked them about the violence last night, leaders say the protest are one thing and the looting is another thing,
But they say at the heart of everything is frustration and dealing with the injustice.
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