Bakersfield hosts 'Pray For Ukraine' event outside Crystal Palace

Sep. 24—Advocates gathered outside Buck Owens' Crystal Palace on Sunday to show support for Ukraine and denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued war on the country.

Angelo Frazier, pastor at RiverLakes Community Church, told the crowd of maybe 20 people that the country's independence was paramount to western democracy.

"This is not a protest, but a prayer," Frazier said.

Frazier said he has been a stalwart advocate for Ukraine's independence since the second offensive began in February 2022. In that time he's hosted several rallies and a trip to Washington, D.C., in April for the Ukraine Advocacy Summit.

After more remarks by Frazier, the crowd splintered into smaller groups that sang or prayed for peace. A woman sang the national anthem of the United States and that of Ukraine.

The rally was organized by Frazier and local organizations, including Shield of Freedom, House of Ukraine, Stand With Ukraine Foundation, Hong Kong Forum Los Angeles and Baltic American Freedom League.

It comes a day after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Saturday that he will push to keep $300 million in military aid to Ukraine in the federal defense budget, a day after the Bakersfield Republican said he would remove it in the face of pushback from his right flank.

"It became too difficult to do that, so we're leaving it in," McCarthy told reporters.