Christians from churches across the city gathered for their last Black Lives Matter protest of the summer Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Main and Court Streets.
About a dozen protesters holding signs that read “Black Lives Matter” as well as “Respect and Kindness” stood near the Black Lives Matter mural at the intersection and cheerily waved at passing traffic.
Peter Williams, an Episcopal priest and Lutheran pastor who leads the dual-denomination Grace and Holy Spirit Church on Court Street, said he hopes the Cortland Council of Churches will continue to work together to “really make a difference.”
“This is just a start because now we’re going to have to work on what we need to do,” Williams said, adding that “our country has not treated everyone as equal in our country.”
Black members of his congregation have described being followed in stores and other embarrassing incidents of casual racism in the community, Williams said.
Williams added he was encouraged by the mostly positive reaction the public has offered as they’ve driven past. Friendly horns filled the air as Williams talked.
But not everyone has been as friendly — a few have yelled “All Lives Matter” angrily or shouted obscenities, William noted.
“A lot of us white folks have to wake up and realize we need to stand up and do something,” he said. “But we need to work on what we can actually do to make things better. But this is a start.”
