Saint Louis, Mo.-A Grand Jury chose not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for the August 9th shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black youth today. The controversial decision is set to release a torrent of nationwide protests as frustration is expected to spill into streets around the nation.
Ferguson community civil rights leaders have largely anticipated the Grand Jury would prefer no charges against Wilson and have asked protesters for a non-violent reaction to it. But Missouri Governor and Saint Louis enforcement agencies have operated under the expectation of violence by ratcheting up preparations for a violent response. Governor Nixon preemptively declared a state of emergency on November 17th, setting up legal requirement to activate the National Guard, before the Grand Jury decision was reached and before it was known whether Wilson would be indicted.
National Guard units were sighted in the city of St Louis during the week before today’s decision was announced. Police have prepared by erecting barricades and calling in reinforcements, further alarming the public. Businesses have responded by boarding their windows and citizens have responded by purchasing firearms. Saint Louis county closed schools early on Monday and Tuesday, two days before it had planned to start its normal Thanksgiving holiday. “There is a culture of impunity around police killing and police brutality, said Eugene Puryear of Answer Coalition, who believes the Grand Jury decision not to indict Wilson exacerbates a tense situation felt in disadvantaged communities across the nation. “It is extremely unfair in situations like this for these issues not to be decided by a jury,” he said. “For the community not to be able to weigh in on what they fell-we feel-is unacceptable behavior by police officers is wrong,” he said.
In August, scenes of violence reminiscent of the Gaza conflict spread across news channels and social media as Ferguson police responded with military grade equipment and riot gear; firing tear gas, and rubber bullets at protesters. Over 27 reporters and photographers, working for various media outlets have already been arrested. And a curfew was set after midnight to 5 am, with ensuing arrests of dozens of protesters, until civil rights leaders challenged the curfew in court. Puryear is concerned police behavior is having a cooling effect on citizen’s rights to participate in first amendment and constitutional rights. “All we’ve seen in the past few months are more incidents of police killing more people,” he said.
In Washington, D.C. Chief Police Lanier responded last week to an expected decision by canceling leave this weekend and activating 16 civil disturbance platoons. However, there have been no violent protests in Washington as a result of Mike Brown’s killing despite over a dozen protests across the city since August.
Civil rights leaders have scheduled protests in most major cities in the coming days. A link to the protests are here. Civil rights leaders are asking those participating in protests to be informed of their rights. You can learn more about your rights here.
DCMediaGroup reporters will cover DC protest actions live on live-stream and tweet from Mt Vernon Square Tuesday at 7 pm EST. Follow @Rousseau_ist in Baltimore, @johnzangas in Washington, D.C. and @JamesFTInternet in New York City on Twitter for developments in local communities.
