Interfaith clergy hold prayer vigil for Renee Good outside ICE office in Philadelphia
Protests have spread across the country in response to last week's deadly shooting in Minneapolis, in which a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Good.
On Monday morning, Democratic state Sen. Art Haywood joined interfaith clergy for a prayer vigil outside the ICE field office in Philadelphia at 8th and Cherry streets.
"I'm not mad at you," Haywood said. "These are the words of Renee Good."
Haywood began Monday morning with his interpretation of last week's tragedy, which was caught on camera.
"There is no training manual that says get in front of a vehicle when there's a driver at the wheel," Haywood said. "Then Officer Ross, with a cellphone in one hand and a gun in the other, shot and killed Renee Good. There is no cover-up that can deny what I just said."
Haywood and the assembled clergy then looked ahead.
"We stay on vigil here at this ICE office to share that we are not afraid," Haywood said.
"We are determined as people of God, people of all faiths or no faith to love our neighbor fully and completely and to help every individual from the top of the administration to the bottom to follow the truth we say we believe in," Pastor Alisa Wailoo said.
They painted their vision of this country.
"We want a country of multiracial country, where all of us can join in and prosper together. That is our strength, not our weakness. That's our power. That's what makes us truly not great again, makes us great right now," Rev. Gregory Holston said.
And they focused on their togetherness while praying for ICE officers.
"Everyone here is community. We are brothers, sisters, siblings who stand together to say to ICE, it is not about each one of you," Rabbi Linda Holtzman said. "We know that many of you are very decent people, but you are not behaving decently."
They plan on holding another vigil next Monday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.