The coast to coast protests against the national racist police system and the lack of accountability and justice show no signs of abating, indeed, it appears they are picking up steam.
Labor and anti-racist groups join forces to shut it down in Minneapolis (photo credit: ctpost.com)
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Protesters know their American history, and are in it for the long haul:
“I think it’s going to take a long time,” she said. “If you think about the Civil Rights Movement, it took 10 years for anything to happen between the protests and the boycott for the buses to the actual Civil Rights Act.”
Check the time, everyone, check the time
Big cities are having more than one protest at the same time, and in conjunction with
grass-roots discussions and talks:
Event organizers in Portland were staging two peaceful marches, one starting at the downtown Justice Center and one at the Portland Police Bureau's North Precinct. The Northeast Portland rally also coincided with a community discussion about the Ferguson protests held at the neighboring Boys & Girls Club.
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While those who want to stall the current momentum claim that the civil disobedience is doing more harm than good, the fact is people support the protests.
the protesters have drawn largely sympathetic responses, even from those in the traffic tie-ups generated by the demonstrations. “People have been extremely supportive,”
This is a truly national movement for social justice, and with shared themes and aims:
Starting in the early evening, hundreds marched from downtown Oakland up Broadway and through parts of Rockridge before heading back downtown. Despite the persistent rain, activists stayed out until around 9:30 pm frequently shouting "black lives matter!" and "I can't breathe!" — a reference to the final words Garner repeatedly stated on camera before Pantaleo's chokehold killed him.
Shutting it down on the Manhattan Bridge
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Cincinnati knows this shit all too well:
The Cincinnati crowd started its protest at the corner of Garfield Place and Vine Street in Piatt Park Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m., chanting, "I can't breath" and "Hands up, don't shoot" -- a message directed at police. The crowd then temporarily blocked traffic on Vine Street near the Garfield Suites Hotel before making its way to Fountain Square.
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Civil disobedience and shutting it down is the name of the game everywhere:
Hundreds of demonstrators marched in Chicago's Loop and stopped traffic on Lake Shore Drive and the Dan Ryan Expressway Thursday protesting a grand jury’s decision to decline to indict an NYPD officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old father of six.
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The protesters began staging a "die in" at Roosevelt around 6 p.m., blocking traffic for roughly 10 minutes.
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"Die ins" are making the point:
About 150 protesters also gathered in downtown Atlanta Wednesday night after learning of the grand jury's decision. Atlanta Police say no arrests, injuries or damage have been reported after multiple demonstrations on Wednesday and Thursday.
Local media has reported that several universities also held protests, some featuring "die-ins," which involve groups of demonstrators lying on the ground.
Herald Square protest, New York City
The call is going out to join the protests and swell the movement:
Protesters staged a so-called “die-in” at Campus Martius in downtown Detroit Thursday in response to a grand jury’s decision not to indict a New York City police officer in the killing of Eric Garner.
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“I talked with some of the protesters — which by the way, a sizable number of black and white people here are saying they’ve had enough, and they’d like more people to join this protest, because it’s not about whether you’re black or white; but it’s a human issue,” reported Thomas from the scene.
Today there were also
coast to coast rallies in the struggle for a
higher minimum wage
Pittsburgh rally (photo credit: Joanna Bouldin)
There are strikes today in 190 cities with fast food workers demanding $15 an hour and the right to unionize. At the same time low-wage federal contract workers are demanding Presidential action to win $15 and a union.
Now labor activists for increasing the minimum wage are joining forces with anti-racists to
shut it down.
Protesters moved from a pair of demonstrations down an on ramp onto the northbound lanes of I-35W on Thursday. Police shut down the interstate, blocking traffic just short of the ramp. Close to 200 of the protesters massed across all the lanes, holding signs and chanting. There were two groups protesting in the area, one group targeting higher wages for fast food workers and another calling for justice in the case of Eric Garner, the man choked to death by New York police officers.
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Someone will have to pay for the innocent blood that they shed every day....
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We no know how we and dem ever work this out.
We no know how we and dem a-go work it out.
But someone will, will have to pay
For the innocent blood
That they shed every day
~ We and Dem, Bob Marley and the Wailers
What the fucks a cop doin snooping by my ride. Yo officer - check it - out everything is fine. I just ran outta gas and now I'm running outta time.
Slow down boy this ain't no race. I can tell you kinda people ain't from this place. Tell ya what turn around put ya hands on the hood. And ya best act good just like a good boy should.
Yo officer, holdup - I'm speaking the truth. See I'm just trying to get to this here job interview.
~Gas Gauge (Tha' World is in Your Hands), Michael Franti and Spearhead
(h/t to ericlewis0 for the Manhattan Bridge and Herald Square protest photos!)
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