A Black Lives Matters group from Kansas was criticized by a DC chapter after their weekend event that brought together supporters and the Wichita Police Department. Now, the Wichita community is asking, "Why?"

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - A Black Lives Matters group from Kansas was criticized by a DC chapter after their weekend event that brought together supporters and the Wichita Police Department. Now, the Wichita community is asking, "Why?"

The Kansas Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was criticized on the Washington D.C. BLM Twitter site following a viral video that showed a Wichita police officer dancing with BLM supporters at the First Step Cookout last week.

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL #BlackLivesMatter CHAPTER! THIS IS NOT IN LINE WITH OUR PRINCIPLES. @Blklivesmatter https://t.co/IIlnTbgE1S — BlackLivesMatter DC (@DMVBlackLives) July 20, 2016





After KSN, our NBC station in Wichita, aired a story about it Thursday night, the Kansas community voiced their confusion over why the national BLM chapter would have anything bad to say about the community cookout.

Among the more than 200 comments on KSN’s Facebook page was one from Eric, who said, "What works better? Blocking traffic and getting run over? Or bringing the entire community together to actually talk and get answers with good food, dancing and great company."

Another viewer, Melina, wrote, "It’s going to change things because when you break bread together, when you see each other, when you laugh together you view each other as human beings."

And Robyn said, "Don’t even worry about DC…..We are taking care of our own business in Wichita. What works in Wichita may not work in DC. Mind your own Business BLM Washington!"

Those whom KSN interviewed on camera couldn’t understand why there would be any criticism of the community effort.

Phillina McIntosh asked, "Why would it be a problem? I mean that's my whole perspective on it: We all came out to do something positive, we asked questions, questions got answered, we interacted and actually had community relations with people. That is not often heard of."

Meanwhile, the "God Squad," a group of eight Wichita pastors who hope to serve as a bridge between the community and police, is one of several positive things that came out of the cookout.

Two of the members can't understand why there would be any negative feedback or backlash from any organization after what they say was such a beneficial event.

"I was very shocked. First of all, I think what we had here in Wichita was a phenomenal event," said Pastor Herman Hicks of the Greater Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. "I was pretty shocked, pretty stunned."

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Hicks and Pastor Marilyn Shaw want to improve community relations with the police.

"Not being a Black Lives Matter event, I don’t think Black Lives should be concerned about whether we were going against their policies or principles," said Shaw.

"Here we have where a police officer is getting to know the kids, getting to know the community, and if that comes in a dance video while they are out there dancing or talking, so be it. It brings us together," said Hicks.

Hicks said Black Lives Matter and other organizations need to come to one realization: "You gotta sometimes put down the picket sign. You gotta sometimes put down the protest you are doing and sit down and talk to individuals who are able to make the changes that we so desperately need in our community,"