SF Bay Area: People Hit the Streets for Ferguson, August 18
August 19, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
From a reader:
After Sunday’s massive, military-style police attack against the protesters and marchers demanding justice for Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, overnight two emergency demonstrations were quickly called for Monday afternoon as a “TDA” [The Day After] street protest. World Can’t Wait, Stop Mass Incarceration Network, several antiwar activist networks, and Revolution Books spread the word, inviting everyone to come out to stand with the people in Ferguson.
Less than 24 hours after word went out, people hit the streets in Oakland and in downtown San Francisco.
San Francisco
In San Francisco people assembled on Market Street equipped with World Can't Wait paper signs, a bullhorn, Revolution’s “Three Strikes” posters and newspapers, and materials about the October 2014 Month of Resistance to Mass Incarceration, Police Terror, Repression and Criminalization of a Generation. Over the bullhorn, punctuated by calls and chants of “Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!” we recounted Michael Brown’s murder and what’s happened in Ferguson every day and every night since that day, as hundreds have stayed in the streets, demanding justice for Michael Brown and really for everyone. Our agitation attracted a lot of people passing by: Spanish and Portuguese-speaking immigrants, European business tourists, young and old people going shopping or leaving work, and Black people (one young family had received a World Can’t Wait email; a former Black Panther Party member had been wanting to find a Ferguson protest when he heard about it on mainstream radio news). A third-grader had made her own handmade sign and held it up high.
A lot of reporters and cameras showed up, and two nightly TV news channels reported on the SF and Oakland actions.
Here’s a San Francisco photo: protesters chanting “Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!” were sending solidarity and love to the people in the streets of Ferguson. Photo: Special to Revolution
Noted anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan sent a message to be read at today’s rallies:
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for standing and rallying in support of Michael Brown and his family and all victims of out of control police brutality. I wish I could be there with you, but my heart is there and my heart is with Michael Brown and his family at this very tragic and unnecessary time.
I wanted to also express my solidarity with the people who are courageously rebelling in Ferguson against the police state. With the growing collaboration of the militarization of law enforcement with government and media, it is important that we the people provide the lacking checks and balances to the police state.
As in Ferguson, all over the world we denounce and protest police state, imperial violence.
With revolutionary regards,
Cindy Sheehan
Oakland
For the third time in five days, people gathered at a main corner in downtown Oakland (known by anti-police murder activists as Oscar Grant Plaza), to protest the murder of Michael Brown and other victims of police murder, and to celebrate and stand with the powerful resistance shown by the people of Ferguson MO. About 60 people of all ages and ethnicities came off emails, Twitter announcements, and by word of mouth from their friends.
For third time in five days people marched in Oakland to protest the murder of Michael Brown and other victims of police brutality. Photo: Special to Revolution
People chanted "Justice for Michael Brown," and added names of many other people that had been killed by law enforcement in the Bay Area and around the country. Different speakers saluted the determined protests of people in Ferguson, and pointed out that this is the reason why the name Michael Brown is known. They are also opening the eyes of many to the illegitimacy of a system that can bring in the National Guard and massive military presence, but cannot even indict the cop who killed Michael. People took up leaflets and "Three Strikes" posters to take out to spread the need for more resistance.
As part of that, many pledged to be part of building the October Month of Resistance, and in particular, a powerful October 22nd National Day of Protest against police brutality in Oakland. At the end of the rally, about 60 people took to the streets for a loud and spirited march through the streets of downtown
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