Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Religion News Service reports:
Prominent pastor and anti-poverty activist the Rev. William Barber and two others were arrested while praying in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Monday (April 28), an action he said would be part of a recurring series of demonstrations aimed at challenging the Republican-led budget bill.
The arrests occurred roughly 15 minutes after Barber, the Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Steve Swayne, director of St. Francis Springs Prayer Center, started praying in the Rotunda as dozens of police stood nearby, some prepared with plastic handcuffs.
The three took turns praying, lamenting potential budget cuts to social safety-net programs such as Medicaid, often chanting together: “Against the conspiracy of cruelty, we plead the power of your mercy.”
Read the full article. Years ago, Barber delivered a stirring speech at a conference for LGBTQ journalists that I attended in Philadelphia.
BREAKING: Police just surrounded Rev. William Barber, prominent activist and pastor, as he and others prayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
Police then expelled everyone (including press) to (presumably) arrest them.
Covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it. pic.twitter.com/kJqNHostNa
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) April 28, 2025
Evidently, getting this nation “back to God” doesn’t = protest against a budget that would cut essential services for millions of people.
Yesterday, @RevDrBarber, @wilsonhartgrove, and other moral leaders demonstrated moral courage by praying in protest against Republican-led… pic.twitter.com/PbcsXDXAEg
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 29, 2025
USCP arrested @RevDrBarber, @wilsonhartgrove, and others for praying in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. The faith leaders prayed for a moral budget, and on behalf of those who would be harmed by proposed cuts. Police first expelled everyone else, including credentialed press. pic.twitter.com/QKEuryNMKR
— Maureen Cohen Harrington (@VeganSkaterDC) April 28, 2025