YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A local organization has responded to protests that occurred at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday just ahead of weekend celebrations honoring Martin Luther King Jr. 

The Martin Luther King Jr. Planning Committee focuses on the life of King and his contributions to the African American community, encouraging those to take action against injustice and to help improve race relations. 

Member Penny Wells, who is also the director of Sojourn to the Past, said she was appalled by what we saw in the Capitol. 

"[It's] appalling that we had American citizens trying to establish a coup by entering a Capitol building," said Wells. "We didn't have enough police protection."

She mentioned that if this was a Black Lives Matter protest, several more people would have died. 

The protests will be one of the focus points of the group's Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration events.

On Sunday, January 17, there will be a worship service from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. that will be streamed virtually on the New Bethel Baptist Church Facebook page. 

The worship speaker will be Reverend Michael Harrison. 

There will also be an MLK Community Workshop from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. via Zoom. 

You must preregister for the event and select a breakout room of personal interest. 

The sessions include criminal justice, healthcare and youth empowerment. 

For more information, contact 330-747-2125. 

You can find the full statement from the committee below. 

"We, the members of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Planning Committee of the Mahoning Valley, need to express our outrage against the violence and acts of domestic terrorism committed by lawless citizens and Donald Trump supporters in the breach of our nations' Capitol in Washington DC. on Wednesday, January 6, 2020. The riot, encouraged and fueled by the lies and false claims of outgoing president Donald Truinp, clearly exposed the evil that lies in the heart of Alnerica, the blatant disregard and disrespect of our democracy by white suprelnist, as well as the disparity in how African Americans and other citizens of color are treated in this nation.
Back in June of 2020 a peaceful protest by the Black Lives Matter demonstrators outside the White House, who made no attempt to breach its security was charged by a force made up of Washington, DC police, US Park police, over 5,000 national guard troops and federal agencies including an army helicopter that swooped low over the heads of the protesters. Teargas, batons and horses were used to clear a block so that Donald Trump could stage a photo op outside a church across the road. Conversely, the angry mob of thousands of Trump protestors and rioters, who along with the president had been planning this disruption of our Congress confirming the election of Joe Biden for weeks, were met with minimal resistance by' the Capitol building security', and proceeded to break into the building, storm its' halls and chambers, and vandalize the offices of our representatives, injuring security officers along the way, without consequence.
America can no longer ignore the reality of the injustices that African Americans have had to suff& and endure for centuries in this nation and continue to be subjected to at this present defining moment. We believe that America can never be great until it treats all of its' citizens with the dignity and respect that we all deserve. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of the day when all citizens of this nation would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. The events of June l , 2020 and January 6, 2021 continue to remind us that America is far from being "one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all" that we want all of its' citizens to pledge our allegiance to."

-Martin Luther King Jr Planning Committee of the Mahoning Valley