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Candlelight vigil promoting peace and acceptance held in Tallahassee

Candlelight vigil promoting peace and acceptance underway in Tallahassee
Candlelight vigil promoting peace and acceptance underway in Tallahassee
Posted at 4:22 PM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-18 13:55:19-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Support for the victims of last weekend's Charlottesville riots continues to pour in with vigils and protests against hate crimes.

This vigil is called 'Embrace Tallahassee: Unite in Love'. It's just one of many rallies that's been held in Tallahassee in the last week.

Protesters gathered on the steps of the Old Capitol Wednesday and this past Sunday, pushing back against the white supremacist rhetoric they say caused the deadly riots in Virginia.

These protests in Tallahassee have been peaceful, but as we saw last week in Charlottesville, they can get out of hand quickly. That's why law enforcement in our area is making sure to keep a close eye on any large gatherings, especially in today's political climate.

"A non-violent group, we might have people inside undercover to some degree, monitoring the chatter that's going on in that group to see when and if it could go wrong," said Lt. Grady Jordan with the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Jordan also says they work with other local law enforcement agencies, who all have a response plan to deal with any sort of protest or rally that turns violent.

Event organizers say Thursday night's speeches and candlelight vigil are all about promoting peace and acceptance, especially in light of recent hate-filled events across the country and around the world.

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