US Rep. Jim Banks is pictured on the far right after meeting with African American leaders in Fort Wayne earlier this week. Photo provided.

Editor’s note: The Congressman’s office objected to the above headline. We posted a separate clarification. You can read that here.

FORT WAYNE – US Rep. Jim Banks on Wednesday endorsed Black Lives Matter.

The announcement by the 3rd District Congressman from Columbia City came on twitter amid recent violent protests in Fort Wayne on Saturday and other cities across the county for nearly a week in the wake of the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

His tweet read:

“Today Black pastors from Fort Wayne invited me to meet with them to discuss racism and racial tensions in America and what we can do about it. It was one of the most powerful meetings of my time in public office. I want to say as a white, Republican congressman: #BlackLivesMatter”.