Hundreds march across Baltimore and shut down major thoroughfares the day after a St. Louis County grand jury failed to indict Officer Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown
Story Transcript
JAISAL NOOR, TRNN PRODUCER: On Tuesday, November 25, hundreds of peaceful demonstrators marched across Baltimore to express solidarity with Ferguson the day after a St. Louis County grand jury announced it was not going to indict Darren Wilson for killing unarmed teen Michael Brown. As of midnight, the local media in Baltimore was reporting no arrests.
Protesters blockaded many major streets, including Interstate 83 several times, a highway that serves as a central artery for Baltimore communities, backing up traffic for hours.
CROWD (CALL AND ANSWER): Hands up! (Donโt shoot!) Hands up! (Donโt shoot!)
NOOR: Students and activists began the days protest at Morgan State University.
UNIDENTIFIED: Weโre fed up and weโre tired! Weโre tired and weโre fed up! And this is not fair!
FARAJII MUHAMMAD, HOST, WEAA 88.9 FMโS LISTEN UP!: So you canโt have justice with no peace, and there can be no peace without justice. Itโs one and the same. So what weโre looking for today is that we want to start the process of getting people organized and mobilized. We come out here today because weโve got a serious issue with police. And this is not just about Ferguson. Itโs about Baltimore City as well.
COURTNEY MERCADO, STUDENT, MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: One of our brothers lost his life, basically, to a Baltimore City police officer here on Morganโs campus. And I just feel like that is just lighting fuel to the fire of why does Morgan State students and the Baltimore City police and the Morgan State police donโt get along.
I just feel like our police department does not care about us. They donโt. I just feel like theyโve proven in the way that they us when weโre going to parties on campus like treating me like Iโm criminal. I have to be patted down, I have to be met with such stern attitudes and everything, instead of them just appreciating the fact that weโre students.
MARCUS SCALES, MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEE: Absolutely expected it. I mean, Emmett Till happened, what, 15, 60 years ago. You know what I mean? Sean Bell happened a few years ago. Troy Davis. America continues to show us who she is and who she always has been. And until we make her change and demand her to change, sheโll continue to be that same way. So I wasnโt surprised by the verdict at all.
NOOR: Among those taking part was the group Bmore Bloc and Tawanda Jones, the sister of Tyrone West. Ever since Westโs death at the hands of police officers last year, the West families helped lead weekly protest demanding charges against the officers who killed him. Some credit the familyโs activism for helping unseat the Baltimore City stateโs attorney, who cleared the officers of wrongdoing.
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TAWANDA JONES, SISTER OF TYRONE WEST: My brother Tyrone West was brutally murdered on July 18, 2013. But the reason Iโm out here is to save lives. Iโm totally against police brutality. Nobody deserves to be brutally murdered.
So the message is this. We need to end police brutality, we need to get all the bad jokers off, because police have a serious job to do. You know, the good ones that take their jobs seriously and respect the community, they need to be respected as well. But we need to get rid of all the bad ones. And thatโs what weโre out here to do.
Jail blocks for killer cops. And we wonโt stop, canโt stop until killer cops are in cell blocks. We wonโt stop.
NOOR: But Tyrol West was killed in a similar way thatโwhat happened to Mike Brown in Ferguson. So talk about the connections there. And what your thoughts? Because this same thingโs been happening all over the country. Itโs happened in Baltimore. But it took Ferguson for people to really wake up and to rise up for this.
JONES: And I think it took Ferguson because Ferguson said enough was enough, and they actually literally got up there, which I donโt condone, like, turn up the streets or none of that, โcause violence is not the answer.
NOOR: Itโs only a small number of people that were committing violence.
JONES: Yes. But what everybody took it seriously and did peaceful things. And theyโre still doing peaceful things. And I commend Ferguson. Yโall rock on, yโall go, โcause in Baltimore, this should have beenโmy whole city should have been out when my brother was brutally murdered and a community of credible witnessesโthe whole city should been out backing us in a peaceful manner and protesting. And then that could have saved a life. It wouldnโt have got that ugly how you have people shot down, a young man just shot in /dษnษหsรฆnpษr/. They want to dehumanize Michael Brown. They want to bring up a robbery clip that had nothing to do with him being gunned down, just like they wanted to bring up my brotherโs past that had nothing to do with him being brutally murdered. He wasnโt on any outstanding warrants. He was a healthy young man living his life, driving, and he was living under the grace of God, and they brutally kill him. And then they want to bring up their past and dehumanize them as if killing him wasnโt enough. They want to spit in your face and dehumanize. Iโm tired of them dehumanizing our people.
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CROWD: Donโt shoot! Donโt shoot! Hands up! Donโt shoot! Hands up! Donโt shoot! What do we want? Donโt shoot! When do we want it? Now! What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!
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