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Historic Church Announces March for Justice
This Sunday, March 13, 2016, the East Washington Heights Baptist Church, located at 2220 Branch Ave SE, has announced a march for justice in response to recent shootings and acts of violence in and around the Hillcrest area of southeast Washington DC. The march will begin at 12:15 pm and will end at the bus stop near Naylor Rd. and Alabama Ave., SE where last weekend two people were the victims of gun violence. Unfortunately, 39-year-old Ivy Tonett Smith of Northeast DC, later died.
This event is the latest in a series of incidents, and we plan to organize unified community response to gun violence, demand leadership and intervention from elected local officials and law, and take other action.
Over the past several years, acts of violent crime near East Washington Heights Baptist Church have increased, including homicides, robberies and theft. Additionally, over the past several years, members of our church have been assaulted, robbed or both in and around the church grounds. This latest incident is a rallying cry to the community to stand and be counted and demand that others do the same.
We demand:
- Increased police presence in and around the East Washington Heights Baptist Church and the local supporting community, including the nearby library, shopping centers, churches and schools
- Additional funds for community outreach programs, and strengthening police and community trust (community-based policing); and
- A commitment from elected officials from Ward 7 to attend Quarterly forums on crime violence in Ward 7 to be hosted by local churches and community groups.
For more information about this event, please contact Rev. Damon A. Dozier, Social Justice Minister, East Washington Heights Baptist Church. He can be reached at (202) 213-9399 or damon.dozier@gmail.com.
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