Dec. 9, 2014
Sharpton to Lead 'National March Against Police Violence' in DC This Saturday
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - As protests against police shootings continue to rage across the nation, the Rev. Al Sharpton has announced a mass march on Washington this Saturday, Dec. 13.
Protesters will gather at Freedom Plaza Downtown on Pennsylvania Ave. NW between 13th and 14th Street at 10:30 am. for the “National March Against Police Violence”. The march will begin at noon and end at Pennsylvania Ave. and 3rd Street.
According to a statement from Sharpton’s National Action Network, the march will include the families of Eric Garner, the 43-year-old father of six, who was killed by a police chokehold in Staten Island, N.Y. July 17; unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, killed in Ferguson, Mo. Aug. 8; 12-year-old Tamir Rice, shot Nov. 22 by Cleveland, Ohio police as he held a toy gun; and 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, killed by Sanford, Fla. neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman who approached the teen walking home with iced tea and skittles Feb. 26, 2012. A jury found Zimmerman not guilty of all charges.
Civil rights, labor, church and youth leaders are expected to participate. The march comes as thousands have taken to the streets angered over grand jury decisions not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the Michael Brown killing and New York Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner.
Violent police behavior in Black communities have long been a recurring issue. But the recent rash of unarmed killings have brought the issue to a head; especially with the grand juries refusal to indict the officers who killed Brown and Garner.
In a blogged comment, Sharpton express hopes that the march will result in congressional action: "Do not be silent. Do not be complacent. Do not continue to live with police misconduct and violence as somehow acceptable. We are not anti-police; we are anti-police-brutality. And today we challenge Congress to follow in the president’s footsteps and take legislative action to protect us, the citizens."