Michael Bloomberg Responds to Church Protestors

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly spent more than $463 million on his bid to win the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and ultimately the White House. Since the billionaire businessman launched his campaign last November, he has picked up the endorsements of several high profile African-Americans including Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill), Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and another former New York City mayor, David Dinkins. Bloomberg’s campaign has also been steeped in controversy relating to the NYPD’s “stop and frisk” policy which was at its height during his tenure, as well as recently resurfaced remarks that were widely criticized as racist.

On Monday, Michael Bloomberg sat down with BET.com on the eve of Super Tuesday to talk about how his administration would tackle abusive police departments, his thoughts on reparations and dissected his “Greenwood Initiative,” an economic plan for Black America which he says was inspired by the Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma that was destroyed by a racist mob in 1921.

In this clip, Bloomberg explains what happened when a group of churchgoers turned their backs to him in protest while he spoke to a Selma, Alabama congregation to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. “One of the nice things about America is that you can speak your mind and protest and they didn’t yell and scream and try to break up my speech.”

Look for the full interview tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3, on BET.com