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| Brown protesters march through downtown St. Louis in peaceful demonstration | Brown protesters march through downtown St. Louis in peaceful demonstration |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| View Photo Gallery —Hundreds marched downtown Saturday, demanding justice for the killing of an unarmed African American teenager, Michael Brown, by a white police officer this summer in Ferguson, Mo. | View Photo Gallery —Hundreds marched downtown Saturday, demanding justice for the killing of an unarmed African American teenager, Michael Brown, by a white police officer this summer in Ferguson, Mo. |
| ST. LOUIS — Demanding justice for Michael Brown, more than a thousand people marched through downtown St. Louis Saturday morning as part of a “weekend of resistance.” Chanting “hands up don’t shoot” and “no justice, no peace,” they marched about a mile through the heart of downtown toward the famed Arch. | ST. LOUIS — Demanding justice for Michael Brown, more than a thousand people marched through downtown St. Louis Saturday morning as part of a “weekend of resistance.” Chanting “hands up don’t shoot” and “no justice, no peace,” they marched about a mile through the heart of downtown toward the famed Arch. |
| Brown, an unarmed black man, was shot and killed two months ago by a white police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Mo., prompting a renewed national discussion of racial profiling. “I’ve been harassed on a daily, weekly basis by police,” said Jonathan Butler, 24, a University of Missouri student originally from Nebraska. “So it’s important that I came out to show solidarity.” The crowd was a diverse group, with many from Missouri and scores who traveled from other parts of the country. | Brown, an unarmed black man, was shot and killed two months ago by a white police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Mo., prompting a renewed national discussion of racial profiling. “I’ve been harassed on a daily, weekly basis by police,” said Jonathan Butler, 24, a University of Missouri student originally from Nebraska. “So it’s important that I came out to show solidarity.” The crowd was a diverse group, with many from Missouri and scores who traveled from other parts of the country. |
| Consensus that more than 1000 here at downtown STL march. Unclear how many more #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/uSTPkPAz3n — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 11, 2014 | Consensus that more than 1000 here at downtown STL march. Unclear how many more #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/uSTPkPAz3n — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 11, 2014 |
| Consensus that more than 1000 here at downtown STL march. Unclear how many more #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/uSTPkPAz3n | Consensus that more than 1000 here at downtown STL march. Unclear how many more #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/uSTPkPAz3n |
| — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 11, 2014 | — Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 11, 2014 |
| Labor unions, law students, community organizers, college professors and families came from as far as Chicago, Michigan and Minnesota to participate in “Ferguson October,” a weekend of protests and teach-ins throughout the city meant to assure the momentum generated by the fallout of Brown’s shooting is sustained. | Labor unions, law students, community organizers, college professors and families came from as far as Chicago, Michigan and Minnesota to participate in “Ferguson October,” a weekend of protests and teach-ins throughout the city meant to assure the momentum generated by the fallout of Brown’s shooting is sustained. |
| Ferguson resident Sharon Golliday has watched the movement grow from Florissant Avenue near where Brown was killed to the streets of St. Louis. The weekend’s demonstration marked a shift in how organizers are taking their crusade against police violence nationally, she said. | |
| “No one was prepared for this,” the St. Louis community college professor said. “But now we have structure and we are growing.” | “No one was prepared for this,” the St. Louis community college professor said. “But now we have structure and we are growing.” |
| A coalition of local groups — clergy, labor unions, educators and youth — met several times a day in preparation for the weekend of demonstrations organizers hope will recharge momentum and sustain a collective movement against police brutality, said John Chasnoff, program director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. | A coalition of local groups — clergy, labor unions, educators and youth — met several times a day in preparation for the weekend of demonstrations organizers hope will recharge momentum and sustain a collective movement against police brutality, said John Chasnoff, program director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. |
| Different groups took on responsibilities and were trained accordingly. | Different groups took on responsibilities and were trained accordingly. |
| Golliday, of the Hands Up United group, volunteered to be a de-escalator. Her job, put simply, is to “float through the crowd like little angels and make sure everyone is getting along.” | Golliday, of the Hands Up United group, volunteered to be a de-escalator. Her job, put simply, is to “float through the crowd like little angels and make sure everyone is getting along.” |
| Others distributed food and water from beneath a tent to attendees. Greeters struck a welcoming tone for the Ferguson October event, artists screen-printed T-shirts and children chalked a sidewalk in color. Socialist groups distributed their alternative news publications and all around small groups debated passionately about oppression and violence. | Others distributed food and water from beneath a tent to attendees. Greeters struck a welcoming tone for the Ferguson October event, artists screen-printed T-shirts and children chalked a sidewalk in color. Socialist groups distributed their alternative news publications and all around small groups debated passionately about oppression and violence. |
| Volunteer Vetta Thompson, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis who does some social work and tried to meet the needs of the largely African American residents, watched over the crowds that at the edge of Kiener Plaza feet away from bike police stood by casually. | Volunteer Vetta Thompson, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis who does some social work and tried to meet the needs of the largely African American residents, watched over the crowds that at the edge of Kiener Plaza feet away from bike police stood by casually. |
| Near the middle of the protests marched Erin Everett, 37, Kelsey Hahn, 27, and Jillissa Reutler, 22, who traveled overnight from Madison, Wis. | Near the middle of the protests marched Erin Everett, 37, Kelsey Hahn, 27, and Jillissa Reutler, 22, who traveled overnight from Madison, Wis. |
| This is important, so we got donations from people we knew to make this trip,” Everett said. “It’s already been a really powerful experience,” Hahn added. But the bulk of the crowd appeared to be Missouri residents, who traveled from across the state to join the march. “There are Fergusons all over, in every state,” said Tony Pulliam, 38, of St. Louis. “So of course we’ve got the support of so many from across the country.” | This is important, so we got donations from people we knew to make this trip,” Everett said. “It’s already been a really powerful experience,” Hahn added. But the bulk of the crowd appeared to be Missouri residents, who traveled from across the state to join the march. “There are Fergusons all over, in every state,” said Tony Pulliam, 38, of St. Louis. “So of course we’ve got the support of so many from across the country.” |
| Huge paper mâché likeness of Michael Brown with his hands up at #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/xS4Bpv3lL9 — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 | Huge paper mâché likeness of Michael Brown with his hands up at #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/xS4Bpv3lL9 — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 |
| Huge paper mâché likeness of Michael Brown with his hands up at #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/xS4Bpv3lL9 | Huge paper mâché likeness of Michael Brown with his hands up at #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/xS4Bpv3lL9 |
| — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 | — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 |
| St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson and Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson were both on-hand for the march — which remained peaceful. Police kept their distance from demonstrators. It was a stark contrast from the earliest days of protests immediately after Brown’s death. Police, in riot gear, clashed with protesters, using tear gas, rubber bullets and tanks. On Saturday, some rode bikes. | St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson and Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson were both on-hand for the march — which remained peaceful. Police kept their distance from demonstrators. It was a stark contrast from the earliest days of protests immediately after Brown’s death. Police, in riot gear, clashed with protesters, using tear gas, rubber bullets and tanks. On Saturday, some rode bikes. |
| “They were scared to see this event happen” one organizer shouted through a bullhorn as the march began. “But we are not going to replicate the damage or the violence that the police carry out upon our communities.” Unlike the August protests, which were raw and spontaneous, and included looters, the weekend’s events have been highly organized. Legal observers marched with protesters and volunteers in yellow vests oversaw crowd control. | “They were scared to see this event happen” one organizer shouted through a bullhorn as the march began. “But we are not going to replicate the damage or the violence that the police carry out upon our communities.” Unlike the August protests, which were raw and spontaneous, and included looters, the weekend’s events have been highly organized. Legal observers marched with protesters and volunteers in yellow vests oversaw crowd control. |
| Young Nigel waits for the rest of the #FergusonOctober marchers to catch up. pic.twitter.com/p41U76eQOp — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 | Young Nigel waits for the rest of the #FergusonOctober marchers to catch up. pic.twitter.com/p41U76eQOp — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 |
| Young Nigel waits for the rest of the #FergusonOctober marchers to catch up. pic.twitter.com/p41U76eQOp | Young Nigel waits for the rest of the #FergusonOctober marchers to catch up. pic.twitter.com/p41U76eQOp |
| — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 | — Koran Addo (@KoranAddo) October 11, 2014 |
| Marina Balleria, 24, carried a sign quoting Frederick Douglass. A former schoolteacher in New Orleans, she moved to St. Louis six weeks ago. “What happened is something that could have happened to any of my students,” she said. “So it was important for me to show my support as a white ally.” The marching crowds thinned out as they reached Keiner Plaza and a cavalcade of speakers took to the pavilion stage. | Marina Balleria, 24, carried a sign quoting Frederick Douglass. A former schoolteacher in New Orleans, she moved to St. Louis six weeks ago. “What happened is something that could have happened to any of my students,” she said. “So it was important for me to show my support as a white ally.” The marching crowds thinned out as they reached Keiner Plaza and a cavalcade of speakers took to the pavilion stage. |
| “This may be the beginning of a movement,” said Leticia Seitz of Latinos en Axion STL, a faith-based community organization that fights for immigrant rights. “What is happening in Ferguson is an opportunity for a black and brown movement.” | “This may be the beginning of a movement,” said Leticia Seitz of Latinos en Axion STL, a faith-based community organization that fights for immigrant rights. “What is happening in Ferguson is an opportunity for a black and brown movement.” |
| Crowds like these gathered in 2012 another public park. Activists cried out at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford., Fla., another unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin was killed. Protestors were outraged his shooter George Zimmerman did not immediately face charges. But by the time the Neighborhood Watch volunteer had his day in court, the demonstrations had shrunk in size and momentum. | Crowds like these gathered in 2012 another public park. Activists cried out at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford., Fla., another unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin was killed. Protestors were outraged his shooter George Zimmerman did not immediately face charges. But by the time the Neighborhood Watch volunteer had his day in court, the demonstrations had shrunk in size and momentum. |
| Is that Ferguson’s fate? | Is that Ferguson’s fate? |
| “I think this is different,” said Thompson, who volunteers at the Canfield Green apartments in Ferguson. Michael Brown’s death is a consequence of attitudes about African Americans that have persisted in St. Louis and the state for too long, she said. “This is a leverage point for change.” | “I think this is different,” said Thompson, who volunteers at the Canfield Green apartments in Ferguson. Michael Brown’s death is a consequence of attitudes about African Americans that have persisted in St. Louis and the state for too long, she said. “This is a leverage point for change.” |
| Although many organizers want to see Officer Darren Wilson face a grand jury indictment, few are optimistic. The movement has to mean more than this one case, said Ronn Smith of the Federation of Block Units, an Urban League-affialiated community group. | Although many organizers want to see Officer Darren Wilson face a grand jury indictment, few are optimistic. The movement has to mean more than this one case, said Ronn Smith of the Federation of Block Units, an Urban League-affialiated community group. |
| “This moment I don’t think is going to die,” he said. But the central cause is “an evolving shifting paradigm at this point. I believe some of the leaders don’t know and some fo the leaders do know. But I believe we are closer to a point where we have an end point and a goal.” | “This moment I don’t think is going to die,” he said. But the central cause is “an evolving shifting paradigm at this point. I believe some of the leaders don’t know and some fo the leaders do know. But I believe we are closer to a point where we have an end point and a goal.” |
| Powerful images as massive Ferguson protests kick off peacefully | Powerful images as massive Ferguson protests kick off peacefully |
| Ferguson protesters kick off weekend of demonstrations at prosecutor’s office | Ferguson protesters kick off weekend of demonstrations at prosecutor’s office |