The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff Reports

Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 12:28 PM
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Local Athiest Group Calls For Removal Of Religious Plaque From Knoxville Police Dept Building
 An Atheist organization announced their push for a religious plaque at one of the Knoxville Police Department buildings to be removed Wednesday.

Aleta Ledendecker with the East Tennessee chapter for the Freedom From Religion Foundation said the group is calling for the removal of the plaque that reads, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31"

Ledendecker said a woman affiliated with the group witnessed a crash that turned into a shooting in February and went to the Knoxville Police Department to give her account of what happened when she first saw the plaque. The woman who wishes to remain anonymous told Ledendecker she found the plaque offensive.

The City of Knoxville plans to address concerns about the expected removal of the plaque at 11:45 a.m. on the fifth floor of the City County Building. Local 8 News has a crew at the press conference