{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/march-across-bridge-a-sign-of-unity", "March across bridge a sign of unity", "2016-10-01", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Susan Brooks", "B001284", "susanwbrooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ANDERSON \u2013 More than 150 people from across the city\u2019s religious and racial lines marched across the Eisenhower Bridge as one in a show of unity Saturday morning.\nThe Reconciliation March was a nod to an event just 51 years ago when civil rights protesters were beaten and bloodied trying to cross a bridge in Selma, Alabama. The march was later called \u201cBloody Sunday.\u201d\n\u201cThey were never able to walk across that bridge in Selma until everyone came together,\u201d said the Rev. Anthony Harris, who organized the event that started at the Anderson City Building and proceeded east on Eighth Street to Athletic Park for prayer.\nThe march was the realization of a dream Harris had to see people of faith marching with police and community leaders of all races and cultures come together to unite under the banner of peace, particularly in a time when there is so much strife in the world, he said.\n\u201cThis should happen every day, but with what\u2019s happening now, it\u2019s going to be a special time,\u201d he said.\nU.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, R-5th District, said she \u201cinvited\" herself to the march because she wanted to hold up a community that can work together in unity. She urged the community members to follow the example of the religious leaders and officers who took part in the march.\n\u201cI have seen firsthand in Indianapolis in the 1990s what good things can happen when the faith community and law enforcement comes together,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what good citizens do.\u201d\nBill Thompson, president of the Christian Clergy Association of Anderson, said the event was also a way to show support for the police department in Anderson in the wake of riots that have broken out across the country following police action shootings.\nThe walk was meant as a preemptive step to show solidarity in case a similar situation were to happen in Anderson.\n\u201cI felt it was important that if something happens here we are already together and that may let us know we are together and that (rioting and fighting) won\u2019t happen,\u201d Thompson said.\nBrooks touched on the topic as well in her opening speech.\n\u201cI believe in this community,\u201d she said. \u201cI believe if something happens here we won\u2019t see the violent protests in this community because of you. You can be a model for other communities.\u201d\nFor Rodney Clark of Anderson, the march was a way for him to do his part to show the Anderson community that there are people united in support of peace.\n\u201cThis is what me and my wife can do to do our part,\u201d he said. \u201cI hate that things have to happen for us to see that we can be united, though.\u201d\nHis wife, Audrey Clark, added: \u201cSome things go on because we are not united. I am hoping (the Anderson community) can see the demonstration of unity and say \u2018we are here to fight for our city.\"\nKen de la Bastide contributed to this article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/march-across-bridge-a-sign-of-unity"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.165173016488552, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}