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Churchgoers turn their backs on Bloomberg in protest during his remarks at service in Selma

Aris Folley

4 hrs ago

 

© Getty Images Churchgoers turn their backs on Bloomberg in protest during his remarks at service in Selma

A group of churchgoers turned their backs on Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg as he spoke at Brown Chapel AME Church, a historic black church in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday.

Footage and images that have since emerged online show a number of protesters standing with their backs turned away from Bloomberg shortly after he began delivering remarks from the pulpit on Sunday morning, the anniversary of "Bloody Sunday."

Members of a congregation turned their backs to Mike Bloomberg as he spoke at a church in Selma, AL. pic.twitter.com/wuSP1mVjJR

- The Hill (@thehill) March 1, 2020

Despite the demonstration, Bloomberg went ahead with his remarks, part of which focused on his proposed Greenwood Initiative, which aims to promote "economic justice" for African Americans and his "commitment to prioritizing criminal justice reform," according to a release from his campaign.

"Dr. King understood that the right to vote was only the first step in the march to true equality, because true equality means that wealth in this country should have no relation to race or ethnicity. That's what my Greenwood Initiative is all about," he said Sunday.

"You may know about Greenwood, in Tulsa, Oklahoma - but until a year ago, like so many other Americans, I did not. Greenwood was a thriving and prosperous black neighborhood, until a white mob attacked and destroyed it back in 1921. More than 200 African Americans were killed," he continued.

"It was one of the worst tragedies in American history," Bloomberg said. "But sadly, it was just another instance of black families being systematically robbed and exploited, something that didn't end with slavery - but continued with Jim Crow and redlining."

"In today's reading from Isaiah: 'Do right, seek justice, and defend the oppressed' was the call to action. That's what our Greenwood Initiative resolves to do," he added.

He also discussed issues like voter suppression and took aim at President Trump during part of his remarks, saying he believes "the wrong person is living in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential contender, were also in attendance.

Bloomberg's appearance in Selma on Sunday comes just two days before primary day in the state on Tuesday. That day, which will be the first time voters will get the chance to cast a ballot for the former mayor, 15 other nominating contests will take place across the country.

His efforts to expand his campaign's outreach among black voters also arrives as he continues to face heat over his controversial stop-and-frisk policy from his time as former mayor of New York City.

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