Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and in New York City, to protest the killings of unarmed black men and boys by police officers in the United States.
Many demonstrators wore shirts and held signs with messages reading “Black Lives Matter”, “I can’t breathe” and “Hands up don’t shoot”. Others carried pictures of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Akai Gurley and Tamir Rice, who were all killed by police while unarmed in recent months. Their families were all in attendance at the “Justice for All” march in Washington. “I’m marching for everyone’s sons and daughters,” said Esaw Garner, the widow of Eric Garner.
In a statement, Cornell William Brooks, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of many civil rights organisations that came together to coordinate the marches, said,
Many demonstrators wore shirts and held signs with messages reading “Black Lives Matter”, “I can’t breathe” and “Hands up don’t shoot”. Others carried pictures of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Akai Gurley and Tamir Rice, who were all killed by police while unarmed in recent months. Their families were all in attendance at the “Justice for All” march in Washington. “I’m marching for everyone’s sons and daughters,” said Esaw Garner, the widow of Eric Garner.
In a statement, Cornell William Brooks, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of many civil rights organisations that came together to coordinate the marches, said,
“This march is one of many demonstrations to show Congress, the country and the world that we will not stand down until systemic change, accountability and justice in cases of police misconduct are served for Michael Brown, Eric Garner and the countless other men and women who lost their lives to police abuses of authority.”The marches follow weeks of demonstrations and civil rights action across the United States decrying police brutality against black men and people of colour, and calls for change in the criminal justice system they see as helping police avoid culpability.