Prayer Vigil for Ahmaud Arbery Day planned in Cobb County after state resolution

Prior to the revelation of racist slurs and other derogatory comments coming out of the ongoing federal hate crimes trial in Savannah against the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery, a resolution out of the statehouse was passed that recognizes the day Arbury was killed. 

In observance of the day, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office will hold a prayer vigil for Ahmaud Arbery Day. The prayer vigil will take place at Marietta Square at 2 p.m. Wednesday, on the two-year anniversary of Arbery’s death. The public is invited to attend.

The Georgia House resolution was introduced by Rep. Sandra Scott, who represents parts of Clayton and Henry County in the 76th District. The resolution declares that “Feb. 23 will forever be known annually in the State of Georgia as The Ahmaud Arbery Day,” and encourages Georgians to participate in the “Run with Maud” movement, of running 2.23 miles on Feb. 23.

The resolution notes that “Mr. Ahmaud Marquez Arbery was a blessed Mother’s Day gift from God, born to Wanda Cooper-Jones on May 8, 1994, in Brunswick, Georgia; and…Mr. Arbery was a known athlete prior to the senseless loss of his life because of the color of his skin…Mr. Arbery was a loving son, brother of Jasmine Arbery, uncle, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend who left an impact on countless Georgians and Americans; and a compassionate and generous man, Mr. Arbery will long be remembered for his love of family and community.” 

The resolution also takes special note of how Arbery inspired the passing of the first hate crimes law in Georgia as well as the repealing of the state’s slavery-era citizen’s arrest statute. 

Attorneys from the Cobb District Attorney’s office successfully prosecuted the murder trials of Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William R. Bryan, who were convicted by a Glynn County jury in November.