Highlights of US Protests Over Ferguson Grand Jury Decision in Pictures
Highlights of US Protests Over Ferguson Grand Jury Decision in Pictures
Sputnik International
The grand jury decision not to press charges against white police officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot an African-American teen in the US city of Ferguson... 25.11.2014, Sputnik International
The grand jury decision not to press charges against white police officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot an African-American teen in the US city of Ferguson in August, has triggered a new wave of protests.
The grand jury decision not to press charges against white police officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot an African-American teen in the US city of Ferguson in August, has triggered a new wave of protests. In Ferguson, at least 13 people were injured in the riots, and 61 detained. Demonstrations stretched far beyond Ferguson, as thousands of people in 90 American cities took to the streets to protest racial discrimination and police brutality.
On Monday, a St. Louis, Missouri grand jury found police officer Darren Wilson not guilty in the death of 18-year-old African-American teenager Michael Brown who was fatally shot on August 9. The incident triggered massive protests against racial discrimination and police brutality in Ferguson and across the US.
After the riots began, US President Barack Obama made a statement calling on the protesters to remain peaceful. "We are a nation built on the rule of law, and so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury's to make," he said.
As a result of the jury verdict, demonstrators took to the streets of 90 US cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington D.C., chanting "hands up, don’t shoot" to express solidarity with Michael Brown.
Protesters reportedly attacked the police with rock, bottles and Molotov cocktails, while law enforcement officers administered tear gas and rubber bullets. Several buildings and two police cars were set afire.
"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 journalists.
Three journalists were reportedly attacked by a group of protesters in the St. Louis suburb. Moreover, Amnesty International USA observers in Ferguson were gassed by the police in three separate incidents.
The family of Michael Brown, who was fatally shot in August, urged protesters to stay calm, saying that "answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction."
Three bridges were shut down in New York City as demonstrators walked down traffic lanes. In Oakland, California protesters blocked a major highway. Other cities across the US saw hundreds of people wielding signs and shouting slogans at police.
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