Franklin Graham's Advice to Americans When Stopped by Police: 'Follow Their Instructions!'
The Rev. Franklin Graham has advised people to obey the instructions of police officers when stopped by them for whatever reason.
Over the past two years, some police shootings have garnered national attention and sparked public protests, especially in cases where the victims were unarmed African-Americans.
In a message posted to Facebook on Sunday, Graham advised "whites, blacks, Latinos, and everybody else" to follow the instructions of police if stopped by them.
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"I want to help you survive to live another day. Too many people have been shot unnecessarily by police. If you're stopped by law enforcement, here's some simple advice — follow their instructions!" declared Graham.
"Just do what the officer says! If they say 'Stop,' then stop. If they say, 'Lie down,' then lie down. If they say, 'Put your hands up,' then put your hands up. Even if you feel the officer is wrong, obey. Don't argue."
Graham also noted that there is "no question" that "there are too many avoidable shootings" involving police and unarmed civilians, especially minorities.
"But if you're stopped by law enforcement — any race, any time, any place — this is something everyone can do to greatly diminish your chances of getting shot," added Graham.
"That doesn't mean mistakes aren't going to be made, but heeding this advice may save your life. No matter what our skin color, we all bleed red. We're all human beings created by God — and every life matters."
Posted on Sunday, Graham's statement on following police instructions has already gotten over 95,000 likes, 6,800 loves, and more than 39,000 shares.
Graham's comments come as protests are taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina, over the death of 43-year-old Keith Scott.
Last week, Scott was shot by police outside an apartment complex. While the police claim that he was armed and refused to follow instructions, Scott's family has disputed this.
"Police released photos of a marijuana cigarette, an ankle holster they said Scott was wearing, and a handgun, which they said was loaded and had Scott's fingerprints and DNA," reported Reuters.
"But Scott's family, which released its own video of the encounter on Friday, said the police footage showed the father of seven was not acting aggressively and that the police shooting made no sense, with no attempt to de-escalate the situation."
