A group of Christians have been recognised for their worshipful response to the unrest taking place across America. Members of the non-denominational "Church of God" were spotted in downtown Minneapolis on Monday praising God with hymns and offering aggrieved protesters comforting hugs.
A video of the group singing has since been viewed by more than 20 million people:
A couple of days prior to the group turning up to minister in the city where George Floyd was killed, Chief Apostle Ray Tinsman released a statement on behalf of the church in which he cited Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
Tinsman added: "As the Church of God, we send our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd, as well as to the people of Texas, Minneapolis, and the entire United States who are touched by this tragedy. The video footage of this killing is absolutely inhuman, and this senseless act must be condemned by all people.
“Tragically, many other African Americans have fallen victim to similar violence without the benefit of having it documented via video recording. What happened to George Floyd is not a single and isolated act of brutality but evidence of a system which mass-produces these heartbreaking results. Racism is not dead in our country. This tragedy affects all of us. Injustice and oppression will be defeated only when we stand together in solidarity as one human family for the cause of truth.”
The officer involved in George Floyd's death, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. A private post-mortem examination, commissioned by the Floyd family, found that George died from asphyxia due to the pressure being applied to his neck and back by arresting officers. Despite underlying health conditions playing a part in Floyd's death, the two doctors who undertook the examination ruled his death a homicide.
