MOSCOW, November 25 (Sputnik) – The United States has to recognize that the country still faces broader challenges in race relations, US President Barack Obama said in a statement following a grand jury's decision to clear the white police officer who fatally shot a black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.
"We need to recognize that the situation in Ferguson speaks to broader challenges that we still face as a nation. The fact is, in too many parts of this country, a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color," Obama told reporters Monday.
Watch President Obama's statement on the #Ferguson grand jury decision. http://t.co/PMkjKQTol3
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) 25 ноября 2014
The St. Louis grand jury's decision sparked protests in 90 cities across the United States, with lootings and police car burnings reported, prompting the president to appeal for peace.
"I join Michael's parents in asking anyone who protests this decision to do so peacefully," the president said, acknowledging that the grand jury's decision provoked "intense disagreement."
25 November 2014, 03:11 GMT
Off-duty St. Louis police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9. Last week, Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard in anticipation of the latest wave of unrest. On Monday, the St. Louis grand jury found Wilson not guilty in the death of Brown.
