Georgia Mall Tells Women They Can't Pray

A Christian walking group that meets at the local mall in Dublin, Georgia has reportedly been told that they cannot pray at the mall.

The Dublin Girls Run group consists of local women who enjoy power walking and jogging and are also practicing Christians. Weekly, the women meet inside the Dublin Mall before their workout to form a circle, bow their heads and quietly pray before beginning their exercise.

However, two weeks ago, as the women bowed their heads in prayer at the mall, they were reportedly stopped by a Dublin Mall security guard who told them they could not pray on mall property, as it was against the mall's code of conduct. The security guard reportedly explained that the mall had recently had issues with another religious group that was reportedly approaching people and asking them about their religious beliefs while they shopped.

"The security guard came running toward us and said, 'You are not allowed to pray at the mall. That's against the policy,'" Tammy Brantley, the leader of Dublin Girls Run, told Fox News' Todd Starnes regarding the recent incident.

"I told him we've been praying since last November and no one said anything about it," she said, adding "We've never had any problems."

Several media outlets have picked up on the walking group's plight, and the mall's owners, MCK Properties, released a statement via Facebook this week that said while they will allow people who are "privately and quietly praying," they will not allow any "congregating, soliciting or disturbances."

"The Mall first and foremost has no issues or objection whatsoever with anyone of any religion denomination privately and quietly praying over there food before they eat or showing devotion towards their religion of choice provided it does not impose itself on others or take away from the overall shopping experience," John Engler, vice president of MCK properties, said in a Facebook statement.

Some Dublin residents are still protesting the mall's ban, and have reportedly obtained a permit to hold a prayer rally in front of the mall in the coming days.