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Christians in Atlanta March Against Racism and Pray for Police

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Praying and marching against racism Friday, thousands of Christians took part in the “March on Atlanta” event organized by OneRace Movement, a Christian coalition aiming to “displace the spirit of racism and release racial reconciliation,” the Christian Post reported. Participants also prayed in support of the Atlanta Police Department which is reeling from nationwide rage against law enforcement following the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta itself.

The March on Atlanta began with a time of worship and a rally at Centennial Olympic Park on June 19: this date, known as ‘Juneteenth,’ is the day in 1865 on which all slaves were declared free. Speaking to The Christian Post about the march, OneRace co-founder Garland Hunt said: “We lament about anybody who has been killed unnecessarily, no question about it…But right now, we are lamenting because we see that there seems to be a percentage of blacks that have been on the back end of that and another life has been lost. What this has done is highlighted that in our nation, we still have racial issues that are still problems.”

“We believe that the Church should make a stand. We are not quiet about our rights and racism and racial justice. At the same time, we are doing everything we can do to be united so the world can see the Church walking together and races coming together in the Church,” Hunt said.

In addition to praying against racism, attendees prayed for the Atlanta Police Department. Officers in the city are widely reported to be suffering severe low morale amid nationwide calls for defunding and reforming of police and in light of law enforcement being vilified in the public domain. In a protest dubbed “Blue Flu,” a number of officers have highlighted the lack of support they feel from the public and from city officials by refusing to take their shifts. Hunt told the Christian Post that event participants specifically prayed over Atlanta’s chief of police: “We told him that we want to support him even though we don’t like bad law enforcement. But overall, they still need our prayers.”

Explaining that much of the day was spent in prayer, Hunt added: “We realize that racism, like the COVID-19, is a virus. But it is also a spirit. We have to pray against that and pray for God to change the hearts and motivations of people.”