Faith leaders and community members joined one another Saturday afternoon in downtown Minneapolis for a prayer and praise event outside of the Hennepin County Government Center.
The event came before Monday's closing arguments in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged in the May 2020 death of George Floyd. Since early March, the Hennepin County Government Center has been the epicenter for the trial.
"We all are experiencing this hurt and trauma that we have to continue to relive," said Rev. Elijah McDavid III. "We thought it'd be important for us to pause in this time to have a moment of prayer and healing for this community."
Friday marked the sixth night of protests in nearby Brooklyn Center after 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed by Kim Potter, a now-former Brookyln Park police office.
McDavid told WCCO Radio's Sheletta Brundidge on Saturday morning that injustice is the first thing that comes to his mind when he sees the government center in downtown Minneapolis.
"Also, it's a little bit of foolishness when you think about it," he said. "These protestors are spending more time in jail than Kim Potter has spent in jail. I think the real tragedy of all of this story is that America is sticking to its narrative that property matters more than people."
Operation Safety Net was once again on display Friday night with nearly 100 people arrested outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department. Those arrests came shortly after 10 p.m. after the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office declared an unlawful assembly and issued an order to disperse.
"I'm always trying to remind my congregation that human lives matter and Black lives have worth, value, and dignity," McDavid said. "We have to cut against the grain that's taught us property matters more than people."
WCCO Radio reporter Al Schoch spoke Sarah Manley of Brooklyn Park who was joining others for prayer.
"We're just out here to corporately do it together," Manley said. "The Bible says where two or more are gathered together, he is there. We just want him to come down and do what he needs to do to keep us all safe around here."
