'(Hate) is a national virus': Rally against violence, hate intersects with day of prayer

LANSING — Two groups, one rallying against violence and hate and another praying for the state, shared space at the Michigan Capitol Thursday. 

Rick Ector, a Detroit gun rights activist, said he organized the rally to bring awareness to incidents he thought should be addressed: the killings of Breonna Taylor, in Kentucky, and Ahmaud Arbery, in Georgia. 

He called Taylor and Arbery's deaths "politically charged and legally questionable."

"I wanted to do something here locally to increase awareness," Ector said. "Let's have a dialogue, let's get together, let's talk about this. Let's figure out how we can solve this hate problem."

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Taylor was shot at least eight times when Louisville police were executing a search warrant for a narcotics investigation at her apartment just before 1 a.m. March 13. Her boyfriend did not hear officers announce themselves and fired one shot, which struck an officer in the femoral artery. Detectives then fired more than 20 times at the couple. Taylor died in the hallway of her apartment. 

Arbery was jogging near Brunswick, Georgia, on Feb. 23 when he was fatally shot by two white men because they thought he was a person who had committed several break-ins in the area. Police said they had no record of home break-ins or burglaries from Jan. 1 to Feb. 23 in that neighborhood. 

Most recently, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck, ignoring his pleas for help. The four officers involved in Floyd's arrest and death were fired Tuesday. 

"(Hate and violence against people of color) is a national virus," Ector said. "Whether it's increasing or not, I've seen enough of it to know I want to get rid of it." 

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At Thursday's protest, he said he wanted law-abiding citizens to take a more active role in their own protection. 

"I'd rather have an individual have a chance than having no chance and dying under highly questionable circumstances," he said. 

About 150 people attended the prayer rally Thursday. One participant, Sonja Belle, of Mount Morris, said she was there to pray for justice, liberty, the country's Constitutional rights and for the well-being of Michigan. 

Transformation Michigan, a organization that helps spread prayer across the state, hosted Thursday's day of prayer. Organizers said on Facebook this is the state's chance to rise up and be a "model to the nation." 

"There have been a number of PROTEST rallies in Lansing but never one that focuses on making an 'Appeal to Heaven' calling on churches, pastors, watchman, intercessors, the Body of Christ to come together as ONE," the organization posted on Facebook. "We have the right to assemble. We are not breaking any laws...plenty of room to 'Social Distance' or wear a 'Mask' if you wish.

Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.