Church Speaks Out After Black Lives Matter Banner Vandalized

For the past seven weeks, a Massachusetts church has had their Black Lives Matter sign defaced, but church leaders say they don't want to offend anyone - they just want to support black lives.

The First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington is facing some harsh critics for dawning a Black Lives Matter banner on the church lawn.

On three separate occasions in the past seven weeks, the word "black" has been scratched out and replaced with the word "all."

"We all believe that all lives matter. The question is in this time and our world, black lives are given less value and there's a need to say that all lives matter. And that's what we're trying to say, black lives matter, too," Reverend Marta Flanagan said.

Christians, Muslims, atheists and many others who come from different backgrounds belong to this congregation. The diverse group is bold in speaking on different issues.

One of their leaders led a prayer for 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, a black teenager who was shot 16 times by a Chicago police officer last year, calling his death unjustified.

"We are not all alike, and how we approach this issue, and there's a need to witness the hardships and the long-time violence and obstacles against African Americans in this country," Reverend Flanagan said.

Church leaders say there are no plans to take down the Black Lives Matter banner anytime soon. In fact, three other congregations in Arlington came together at this church to have their banners blessed, with plans on putting them in their lawns soon.

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