KINGSLAND, Ga. – A Kingsland pastor is traveling to Minnesota next week to offer support and encourage peace following the death of George Floyd.
“We are going to go and be a voice of hope and a voice of encouragement," said Pastor Mack Knight of Refreshing Oasis Church.
Floyd died in police custody on Monday. Video recorded by a bystander showed Floyd handcuffed on the ground with an officer’s knee on his neck. In the video, Floyd could be heard saying he couldn’t breathe. Within hours of his death, hundreds of demonstrators packed the streets of Minneapolis.
Some of the protests have been peaceful, but others have turned violent. Police lined the streets on Friday morning after demonstrators set a police precinct on fire. Earlier this week, demonstrators also looted stores and broke windows of buildings.
During his trip to Minneapolis, Knight wants to encourage people to seek justice peacefully.
“I think I would just offer them how to organize peaceful protests and tell them the results of a peaceful protest against a violent protest,” Knight said.
Knight is close to Tony Green’s family. Green was shot and killed nearly two years ago by former Kingsland Police Officer Zechariah Presley.
“Every protest we did was very peaceful and I think it still got the attention. So, what they’re doing in Minneapolis, I think they are coming together and I do like to see that, but the looting and the violence, I don’t agree with,” Knight said.
Knight plans to spend three days in Minnesota.