‘You were wrong. You assaulted somebody’

A few dozen people, including Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, took part in a prayer session in the parking lot of the White Castle near the intersection of Jefferson Street and Larkin Avenue on Saturday.

Amid calls for his resignation after he was caught on video grabbing a demonstrator last Sunday, O’Dekirk remained mostly silent as pastors prayed for peace and unity. The mayor has repeatedly defended his actions, although the sister of the two men arrested after their scuffle with O’Dekirk contested his version of events.

Rev. Lonnie Posley, pastor of New Canaanland Church in Joliet, said those who have called for O’Dekirk’s resignation "have a right to feel that way." But the pastor added he wanted to stay in his "lane" and focus on spirituality.

"Today was not about the mayor," Posley said. "It was about the ills that’s going on in the world. It was about the hurting and we wanted to bring a sense of healing a sense of unity."

Just a few feet away from the prayer group, several anti-racist protesters continued to hold up "Black Lives Matter" signs and call for reform of the criminal justice system. Some of the protesters were focused on O’Dekirk.