As memorial services for the nine people murdered in the Emanuel AME massacre in Charleston are being coordinated, another congregation planned on making their funerals anything but peaceful. Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay church based in Topeka, Kansas, claimed they would protest at the victims’ memorial services. They believe God sent the shooter because Reverend and State Senator Clementa Pinckney supported pro-LGBT presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The City Council has banned protests within 300 feet of funerals in Charleston for 60 days. “We don’t want that to be disrupted by someone standing there creating a disturbance,” said Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen. “So this ordinance will allow us to protect those families, to protect the dignity and the sacred level of that funeral that this community, and, I think, the world wants to see.” Read more.
Accused AME gunman Dylann Roof was reportedly allowed to eat Burger King while he was in custody after complaining he was hungry. “He was very quiet, very calm. He didn’t talk,” said Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford. “He sat down here very quietly. He was not problematic.” Roof has been charged with nine counts of murder. He is being held without bond. Read more.
The movie Dear White People received rave reviews upon its release, but surprisingly, it hasn’t been featured in theaters in the UK. According to Screen Daily, a UK-based publication, there were no distributors that established theatrical rights to the film. The New Black Film Collective, a grassroots organization centered on Black film, launched a petition for UK theaters to play the film. “I was very surprised no-one had picked it up yet,” said Priscilla Igwe, leader of the group. “Other companies had passed on it. They probably found it difficult and perhaps didn’t know how to pitch it so I thought ‘why not’? This could be the catalyst for the New Black Film Collective. This could be a calling card.’ I knew it was a goer… It’s much harder for black film… We have to work much harder to get the same opportunities and we have to work much harder to get the same support.” Read more.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
If You Don’t Know! News & Politics Roundup: Charleston Temporarily Bans Protests Near Funerals… AND MORE was originally published on newsone.com
