Pastor Dan Haukos of Luthern Church of the Master, which is located in Brooklyn Center, has used his facilities as a refuge for protestors following the death of Daunte Wright.
Protests have been going on in Brooklyn Center since Wright’s death on Sunday, April 11 and Haukos saw a need to help those standing up for what they believe in.
“We are all about living Christ’s mission and uniting as a body of Christ, loving and caring about each other,” he said.
The church’s entire pastoral staff was present while giving a place for protestors to stay warm during the mid-April cold stretch on Tuesday night. The church was even handing out hot chocolate and coffee while giving protestors a place to use the restroom.
“It’s not about a black and white situation it’s about all of us in Christ united and being part of that,” Haukos said. “So we are here to help and protect in any way we can.”
Protestors who came by the church have been grateful and respectful of the kind gesture that they are giving, Haukos said. They have even gone as far as picking up trash left by others in order to leave the space as clean as when they arrived.
There have been some protestors who have come by needing medical attention and EMTs have begun stationing themselves in their parking lot in order to help with any injuries that may be caused during protests as well as those who have been sprayed with pepper spray.
The church was open on Tuesday night as long as protestors needed and Haukos did not shut his church’s doors to anyone who needed a place to stay warm.
Haukos and his church are planning on holding a prayer vigil on Thursday at the location of Wright’s shooting and on Friday at the location of where the rioting and looting first took place.
