‘We need God in the streets’: After George Floyd, Rock Hill rally set for Sunday
In the wake of a Rock Hill march that drew a huge crowd May 30, a second gathering in memory George Floyd is set for Sunday.
The event is being described as a rally and prayer service in remembrance of Floyd, who died in May at the hands of Minnesota police.
A flyer for the event states: “Black Lives Matter, If he be lifted up, Worship experience in remembrance of George Floyd.”
The event is sponsored by Rev. Ct. Kirk and Timothy Taylor. It is set for 5 p.m. at Rock Hill’s Fountain Park in downtown.
Taylor said because of the timing of recent protests, and the concern of people over racism, racial profiling, justice and equality, this event is meant to be another unifying event for all people.
”Given the time frame that we are in, we have to bring God into the streets,” Taylor said. “I want the churches to understand we literally have to go back to the people and minister to them in the streets where they are hurting.”
Kirk was one of the organizers of the May 30 protest march that drew more than 1,000 people to downtown Rock Hill. That event was peaceful and brought a diverse crowd together.
That protest sparked a movement in Rock Hill, York County, Chester and other area towns and cities to create citizens review boards for local police departments.
Kirk and Rev. Norma Gray, another organizer of the May 30 protest in Rock Hill, are expected to speak Sunday.
The event is open to the public.
Some peaceful protests in Columbia, Charlotte, Raleigh, N.C., and other Carolinas cities later devolved into violence between protesters and police.
Protests in the past week have been largely peaceful in the Carolinas.
Floyd, an African-American man, died in May when a police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes. The officer has been charged with murder.
That incident was captured on video that has led to protests about police brutality and killings of black people across America.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
