There have been several anti-police violence protests in Washington D.C. and New York after the Ferguson and Eric Garner incidents.
This is not the first time anti-police violence sentiments have been expressed. According to a report from the Inquisitr , Fox Sports Reporter Erika Reidt has been suspended for Eric Garner comment: “I can breathe because I obey the law.”
Saturday’s “Justice for All” march in D.C., organized by civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton for two black men: Eric Garner , who died as police choked him for selling loose cigarettes; and Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson. Grand juries in both cases declined to indict the white officers on the scene.
There are have been an outpouring of responses from people who were at the anti-police violence protests.
Protestors in the highway. #dcferguson https://t.co/L8tGdgr4xD
— deray mckesson (@deray) December 13, 2014
“My students are having a difficult time understanding how a police officer could shoot someone and not be indicted,” Queen said. “At least go to court and examine the evidence. The students just can’t understand.”
Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, marveled, “What a sea of people. If they don’t see this and make a change, then I don’t know what we got to do. Thank you for having my back.”
Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, called the march a “ history-making moment .”
“It’s just so overwhelming to see all who have come to stand with us today,” she said. “I mean, look at the masses. Black, white, all races, all religion…. We need to stand like this at all times.”
“My generation should have solved this problem and we didn’t,” said Barbara Cole, 77, of Florissant, Mo. She held a sign that read, “Grandmas For Change!! Enough is Enough.” Cole’s goddaughter, Carrie Harris, 59, moved from Ferguson to D.C. in September. “I lived in Ferguson for 12 years,” Harris said. “Ferguson looks like a war zone. It does not look like the town I lived in.”
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom…we have nothing to lose but our chains” closing words at #MillionsMarchOak pic.twitter.com/lrEcpYlSQ5
— Patrick Kulp (@PatrickKulp) December 14, 2014
“I want people to know that black lives do matter,” said Azieze, 16. “We are aware of what’s going on around us. It’s time for things to change. The system that is allowing killer police officers to not get indicted is broken,” he said. “If the system doesn’t get better, how are we going to trust the police?”
Hopefully, these anti-police violence protests will bring a new light on police brutality and curb the abuse of power.
[Image via USA Today]