Group holds prayer run to protest Loop 202 expansion

A group protesting the new South Mountain freeway held a 10 mile prayer run on Tuesday to an informational meeting about the Loop 202 extension.

The tribe on the Gila River Indian Community is against the construction of the freeway, saying it will destroy the mountain, which is considered sacred land.

An encampment was set up near 51st Avenue and Pecos Road, where they've been staying 24 hours a day for the past three weeks in protest of the freeway extension.

A number of community members participating in the prayer run say this is their way of showing the Arizona Department of Transportation that they do not want this freeway on their sacred land.

After arriving at the meeting, the group planned a peaceful protest.

VIDEO: FOX 10's Ty Brennan reports.