Wichita mayor Brandon Whipple and local pastors participated in a prayer for peace outside city hall on Tuesday, in a response to the death of a man in police custody in Minnesota and the protests that have followed across the country.
Mayor Whipple said he organized the event to bring people together in prayer for the community, for healing and for peace.
Reverend Kevin Graham said hearts are heavy because of recent events. He said the community celebrates good law enforcement officers, but there are bad officers “and they must go.” He said African Americans have died unjustly in the history of the United States, and he said recent deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers have amounted to “modern-day lynchings.” He said the group is praying for peace and calling for an end to the injustice. He said it’s all right to protest, but it must be done peacefully, because “we don’t need violence, we don’t need looting, we don’t need shooting. We need to come together in a sense of peace.”
Mayor Whipple has announced a 20-member Civil Rights Advisory Council. He said the group will advise him on issues of inclusion, diversity and civil rights. The committee will serve a three-month term before a new committee is appointed. The shorter terms will allow the mayor to get a wide range of feedback from the community. The council will meet twice a month or more often as needed.
