The sight of our Spring Friends’ event, St. John’s Episcopal Church at Lafayette Square in Washington DC, became a battleground this week.  Damaged June 1 by a small group of vandals who hi-jacked an otherwise peaceful protest in DC, the church survived without major damage to the historic sanctuary.  The next day, the Square was cleared of peaceful protesters by mounted police and flash bombs so that St. John’s could serve as the culminating backdrop for a Presidential warning of martial law unless governors stop such protests around the country.   Listen here to the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Washington as she reflects on the political use of this parish without any notice or request and the distraction this creates from the pressing issues of racial injustice in our criminal justice system.

Episcopal Bishop reflects on political use of St. John’s Church in DC