Demonstrators take to the streets in St. Louis, Missouri on November 23, 2014, stepping up pressure on a grand jury to indict a white police officer for shooting dead an unarmed black teenager/AFP
Michael Brown, an 18-year-old high school graduate planning to go to technical college, was shot at least six times by Darren Wilson in the suburb of Ferguson on August 9, inflaming racial tensions.
The shooting sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests and a nationwide debate about police tactics, revived again with the death Sunday of a 12-year-old boy shot by police while waving what turned out to be toy gun in Cleveland.
Sunday’s demonstration in the Shaw neighbourhood of St Louis was the largest of five consecutive nights of protests as the city braces for a decision expected by the end of the month from a grand jury on whether Wilson should be prosecuted.
“Hands up, don’t shoot,” and “This is what democracy looks like,” chanted the crowd, banging drums and swaying to the rhythm of the words. “The whole damn system is guilty as hell.”
Holding placards saying “Black Lives Matter,” men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds went on a nearly two-hour march, weaving through the traffic and holding up intersections but dispersing without incident.
Police were criticized for a heavy-handed response to the demonstrations in August.
“I would like to see an indictment because I think it actually helps the community for this person to go to trial,” said theology PhD student Alex Giltner, 31.
“You’ve got social prejudice that is deeply ingrained in the people,” he said. “What needs specifically to reform? Simply everything.”
– It’s about racism –
Teacher Angela Kelly marched alongside her son.
“It’s a good showing. We’re 107 days in now, and, no matter what happens, this is about more than Michael Brown. It’s about police brutality, it’s about racism that is still everywhere in our society,” she said.
“I hope that there is an indictment. I think that this movement is going to non-violently continue, no matter what happens.”
One young woman, a youth worker, came from Atlanta, Georgia to take part in the protests.
“I feel like this is a pivotal moment in American history, and we’re going to look back and wonder who was on the right side of justice and who wasn’t,” said the woman who gave her name only as Megan.
“It’s been a lot calmer than I expected. I think a lot of the protesters really want an indictment, and they really want justice, and they don’t want violence.”
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