Source: Twitter
Months have passed since unarmed Black teen Michael Brown was gunned down in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, by police officer Darren Wilson, but the political and social movements that spawned from his death are still raging on.
The people of Ferguson and concerned people from across the nation came together for what they deemed a “Weekend of Resistance.”
Social media users may recognize the weekend of events as #FergusonOctober.
Marches, rallies and demonstrations were held for several days, leading up to the major march that took place Saturday morning.
RT reports that over 3,000 people participated in Saturday’s march for justice for Brown and the other Black men who have been slain by police officers.
The march through St. Louis was deemed the “Justice for All” march, and it brought out an incredibly diverse crowd of supporters.
One woman even made the 750-mile journey from Baltimore to attend.
“I came down here because I’m the mother of a 5-year-old, and we wanted to show our solidarity with the people of Ferguson,” said Sara Benjamin, the 23-year-old mother of 5-year-old Imari, according to CNN. “I think this is an attempt to break up the Black community by targeting Black men.”
Source: Twitter
Benjamin said the trip only cost about $100 after splitting the expenses for gas, food and lodging with others.
The hip-hop community continued to show their support for Brown, his family and the people of Ferguson with major stars, including Talib Kweli and Dead Prez, attending the march.
St. Louis rap artist Tef Poe explained that they are ready to stick around for the long haul.
“We still are knee deep in this situation,” Tef Poe said, according to RT. “We have not packed up our bags, we have not gone home. This is not a fly-by-night moment. This is not a made-for-TV revolution. This is real people standing up to a real problem and saying, ‘We ain’t taking it no more.’ ”
In addition to standing up to police brutality, the crowd also pushed for Wilson to be charged with a crime for shooting Brown, 18, several times.
While Saturday’s massive protest ended without any reports of violence, the entire week didn’t boast the same story.
Source:Twitter
Ahead of the weekend, protesters took to the streets of another nearby neighborhood Thursday in support of another slain teen who was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer last week.
Vine videos capture the crowd burning American flags while some smashed windows of cars and nearby businesses.
Unfortunately, a few violent protesters took much of the media attention away from peaceful protesters.
Reports were made of one protester throwing a knife at officers.
Several gunshots were also fired throughout the night. It is currently unclear who fired them.
