Alabama Churchgoers Turn Their Backs On Bloomberg During 'Bloody Sunday' Service

Democratic presidential contender Mike Bloomberg, who has faced sharp criticism for his history of racist policies and views , received a frosty reception on Sunday at the historic Brown Chapel in Selma, Alabama.

Bloomberg was one of several politicians who attended the Sunday morning service at the church commemorating the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday the tragic day in 1965 when civil rights marchers were brutally attacked by Alabama police.

During the former New York mayors address to the congregation on Sunday, a small group of protesters stood up and turned their backs to him.

Photos and videos of the moment show a group of about 10 churchgoers standing silently in their pews, facing the back of the church. Some had their arms folded tightly across their chests.

A group of churchgoers turned their backs in protest as Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg spoke about racial inequality during a service at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama https://t.co/hmi7slRJSa pic.twitter.com/aqegJllPac

Reuters (@Reuters) March 1, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Reuters","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Reuters","cache_age":86400,"description":"A group of churchgoers turned their backs in protest as Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg spoke about racial inequality during a service at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama https://t.co/hmi7slRJSa pic.twitter.com/aqegJllPac Reuters (@Reuters) March 1, 2020\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1234207506848567297/img/ODA4xS6eJTc2skSS.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Reuters on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1234209291327827968","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/mike-bloomberg-brown-chapel-alabama-selma-protest_n_5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","entryTagsList":"politics-and-government,joe-biden,michael-bloomberg,selma-alabama,selma-to-montgomery-marches,brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/ba79ca6f-c6b7-4661-aa09-2bf6758a17be/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":8},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/politics-and-government","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-and-government"},{"name":"Joe Biden ","slug":"joe-biden","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/joe-biden","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden"},"relegenceId":3519431,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Joe Biden","slug":"joe-biden","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/joe-biden"},{"name":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/michael-bloomberg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},"relegenceId":2823502,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},{"name":"Selma, Alabama","slug":"selma-alabama","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/selma-alabama","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama"},"relegenceId":3466708,"url":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama"},{"name":"Selma to Montgomery marches","slug":"selma-to-montgomery-marches","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches"},"relegenceId":3663313,"url":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches"},{"name":"Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church Selma, Alabama","slug":"brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

A group of churchgoers turned their backs in protest as Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg spoke about racial inequality during a service at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama https://t.co/hmi7slRJSa pic.twitter.com/aqegJllPac
Reuters (@Reuters) March 1, 2020

A group stands and faces the back of the room as presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at Brown Chapel in Selma, Ala. during the Selma to Montgomery march celebration. https://t.co/zYVKjDfSmK pic.twitter.com/Zb27WqxouV

Jake Crandall (@jakevcrandall) March 1, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Jake Crandall","author_url":"https://twitter.com/jakevcrandall","cache_age":86400,"description":"A group stands and faces the back of the room as presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at Brown Chapel in Selma, Ala. during the Selma to Montgomery march celebration. https://t.co/zYVKjDfSmK pic.twitter.com/Zb27WqxouV Jake Crandall (@jakevcrandall) March 1, 2020\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Jake Crandall on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/jakevcrandall/status/1234179493717213184","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/mike-bloomberg-brown-chapel-alabama-selma-protest_n_5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","entryTagsList":"politics-and-government,joe-biden,michael-bloomberg,selma-alabama,selma-to-montgomery-marches,brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/ba79ca6f-c6b7-4661-aa09-2bf6758a17be/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":8},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5e5cb4f6c5b601022113687f","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/politics-and-government","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-and-government"},{"name":"Joe Biden ","slug":"joe-biden","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/joe-biden","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden"},"relegenceId":3519431,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Joe Biden","slug":"joe-biden","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/joe-biden"},{"name":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/michael-bloomberg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},"relegenceId":2823502,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},{"name":"Selma, Alabama","slug":"selma-alabama","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/selma-alabama","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama"},"relegenceId":3466708,"url":"https://action.news/topic/selma-alabama"},{"name":"Selma to Montgomery marches","slug":"selma-to-montgomery-marches","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches"},"relegenceId":3663313,"url":"https://action.news/topic/selma-to-montgomery-marches"},{"name":"Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church Selma, Alabama","slug":"brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/brown-chapel-ame-church-selma-alabama"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

A group stands and faces the back of the room as presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at Brown Chapel in Selma, Ala. during the Selma to Montgomery march celebration. https://t.co/zYVKjDfSmK pic.twitter.com/Zb27WqxouV
Jake Crandall (@jakevcrandall) March 1, 2020

Brown Chapel, a historically Black church, was an epicenter of the civil rights movement in Selma, serving as a headquarters and meeting place for activists. The church was also the starting point for the three Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 the first of which was violently interrupted by the Bloody Sunday attacks.

Ryan Haygood, president and chief executive of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice , was among the churchgoers who protested Bloombergs presence at the church on Sunday.

He told The Guardian that he decided to turn his back on Bloomberg after realizing the presidential candidate was not planning on addressing the controversial stop-and-frisk policing strategy that hed advocated during his time as mayor.

I thought this would be the place where he could finally say once and for all, Let me own what I did, let me atone for it, Haygood said of Bloomberg, who first apologized in November 2019 for supporting stop and frisk, a policy that disproportionately targeted minority communities.

He didnt even touch it which is more disrespectful, Haygood added.