Hundreds in Ferguson-St. Louis County Protest No Indictment in Eric Garner Murder: “I Can’t Breathe!”

by Larry Everest | December 3, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

St. Louis-Ferguson, December 3

Protest at St. Louis County "Justice" center in Clayton, Missouri, December 3.

St. Louis-Ferguson, December 3

Die-in, December 3.

St. Louis-Ferguson, December 3

Photos: revcom.us

Within hours of hearing that Eric Garner’s murderer would not be indicted, hundreds turned out to several protests in the Ferguson—St. Louis County area condemning the lack of an indictment—and the lack of justice for Black people all across the country. One was at the Department of Justice in downtown St. Louis, another began at 4:30 in Clayton at the St. Louis County “Justice Center”—where the office of the Prosecuting Attorney who refused to indict Darren Wilson, Michael Brown's murderer, is located. After the Clayton demonstration ended, people were planning to continue in Shaw Park in Clayton and later at the Ferguson Police Station.

Around 250 people turned out in Clayton at 4:30—nearly half from the Gamaliel-“Fire of Faith” organization, a national grouping of faith/religious organizations involved in social justice work. Clergy from various denominations and churches spoke of how their faith called on them to be their brother’s keeper, their sister’s keeper—and our brothers and sisters are suffering all across the country. One very well-dressed Black man said, “Black life has such little value, we can’t even get an indictment when a Black man is killed, never mind a trial or a conviction. We can’t even get an indictment.” One 30-something white man said Michael Brown’s murder and then the Grand Jury’s refusal to indict was an awakening. “There’s no justice,” he said. “And I feel like shit if I don’t get out and do something about it.”

After marching several blocks, the protest came back to the St. Louis County “Justice Center” for a 4 and a half minute die in blocking a  nearby intersection.

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