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About 100 people crammed the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza in Northwest D.C. on Friday afternoon, calling for unity against the federal surge by President Donald Trump.
The “Multi-Faith Prayer Vigil for Healing and Justice” event brought together religious leaders from around the region to speak on their disapproval of the Trump administration’s recent actions in D.C., including the growing number of law enforcement officials and the displacement of the city’s homeless population.
“The power that is animated by hate can never, never, ever triumph over a power that is built with love,” said Rabbi Aaron Alexander, of Adas Israel Congregation.
During the prayer vigil, attendees brought signs denouncing the Trump administration’s actions and asked for the president to end his actions. Federal authorities have set up checkpoints around the city, sometimes asking people for their immigration status and detaining them.
DC residents need to fight back
Religious leaders called on residents to fight back against intimidating actions.
“But it’s going to take far more than protests to reclaim the beauty of this place,” Alexander said.
Pastor Donna Claycomb Sokol, of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, spoke out against the removal of the city’s homeless population, stating their security was set aside “all in the name of beauty.”
Joani Horchler traveled from Cheverly, Maryland, to be part of the vigil, carrying a sign attacking Trump’s claim that the surge is designed to improve the District’s crime levels: “If you cared about crime, you wouldn’t have attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6.”
“Now, he is going to take over D.C., and it’s not right,” she said.
D.C.’s shadow representative Oye Owolewa told WTOP he was proud to see the number of people in the crowd, which led him to interrupt the proceedings to get them off the road and into the plaza. He added that the amount of minority faces voicing support for D.C. statehood and against Trump’s actions is a strong contrast to the description of “elderly white hippies” White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called D.C. protesters.
“It was really good to see a crowd of people who looked like me but are united on a common mission, which is controlling our own destiny,” Owolewa said.
The crowd was encouraged to stay in contact with their faith-based communities for additional events in the future. Priscilla Soto said she hopes events like the vigil could unite more people than those who don’t like Trump.
“I would like to reach out to all those people who are supporting him and hope that they come to the point that enough is enough,” she said.
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