Fergerson solidarity rally in Columbia Heights

On the 21st of August, DC residents gathered on the open plaza in Columbia Heights on 14th st to demand justice for Michael Brown, murdered by police in Fergerson, MO. At the rally there was talk of starting a serious Copwatch program here in DC to reduce the danger of a similar police shooting here.

On the same day, reports emerged that the authorities in Fergerson are now using cell phone jammers in an attempt to prevent live video from being broadcast at selected times, such as when police charged into the crowd.

Fergerson is really escalating, to the point that some posters on Twitter are now claiming that police there have heavier weapons than US troops in Afghanistan, and in fact one chant over the the night of August 20 there was that these police take their heavy weapons and fight ISIS instead of the people of Fergerson. Whatever one thinks of further US intervention in Iraq, this implies that the people of Fergerson are now being seen by police in the same light as insurgents in Iraq by police, explaining the LRAD, the cell phone jammers, and other wierd weapons now being used. Many of the police heavy weapons came straight from the Pentagon, police forces all over the US have similar weapons. First use of the LRAD sound cannon against protesters was in Pittsburgh during the 2009 G20 summit, I was there and noticed it was rather ineffective.

In New York City, there are reports that St Mark's Church was raided by police for allegedly permitting protesters to stay there overnight. This is a breach of sanctuary in churches that most governments have recognized since the Middle Ages. The Michael Brown march in NY was attacked by police on August 20, guess the pigs didn't want anyone who escaped their clubs to have a place to escape to. NYC had better think twice about continuing to attack protesters,as an estimated 250,000 protesters are expectedt to descend on the city on Sunday, September 21st for a massive climate change rally. If police there are still attacking Fergerson solidarity marches at that time, the two marches and issues could join forces, and the NYPD would be no more able to fight this than they were able to stop the Sunday, August 29 2004 march against the GOP Convention from taking over Central Park.

Photo by Sam Jeweler

Photo by Sam Jeweler

Creative Commons Licence