Capitol, downtown Sacramento continue to see protests amid heat and virus orders

Despite the August heat and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, large crowds continued to gather to protest outside the California state Capitol. On Saturday, one group came together to pray.

The Rescue America Rally, led by the #WalkAway Campaign, gathered about 400 men and women to the north lawn, where they listened to speakers and chanted in opposition to stay-at-home orders. They also demonstrated in support of law enforcement, a rebuke to months of protests in Sacramento and across the nation in the wake of police brutality against Blacks and other people of color, as well as the LGBTQ community.

Brandon Straka, the founder of the campaign, called on people to fight for their freedoms and unite against the left.

“It is your duty to be the hero that America needs right now. America is a damsel in distress,” Straka said.

Signs calling for churches and schools to reopen were paired with demands to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The groups argue Newsom is violating their constitutional rights through mask mandates and closures of places of worship and businesses. Few wore masks at the unpermitted event, and the crowd gathered close for selfies and videos with Straka and a handful of local conservative political candidates.

The only thing higher than the protesters’ voices might have been the temperature. On the first day of summer’s final month the Capitol baked in a sunny skies. Downtown topped 93 degrees at 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Other spots in the capital region reached 100.

Forecasters say an upper-level trough will keep temperatures hot through Monday, though overnight conditions will be greatly improved by moderate Delta breezes.

Competing to be heard over “USA” and “Trump” chants, the #PrayWithMeSac prayer rally, a permitted event on the east side of the downtown Sacramento landmark, brought together several hundred people, including children. A group of singers, complete with a band, led the crowd with religious songs.

As different Sacramento pastors spoke to the attendees, many swayed, raised their hands and some even shed tears. The distanced crowd was mostly masked, some even wearing #PrayWithMeSac bright yellow masks.

While the rally was apolitical and for anyone to attend, the organization’s founder, Tamara Bennett believes that churches should be considered essential.

“We created this atmosphere just so people of faith can feel united and get strengthened together,” Bennett said.

Other demonstrations were planned in the downtown area Saturday, including a march and protest organized by Black Lives Matter Sacramento. The group said it planned to meet at Cesar E. Chavez Plaza around 5:30 p.m. and walk to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, a Sacramento Police substation on Richards Boulevard and the nearby headquarters of the California Highway Patrol.

The group is one of many in the Sacramento area to organize peaceful protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day.

This story was originally published August 1, 2020 at 4:19 PM.