Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of major cities across the United States on Friday to protest against the killings of unarmed black men by white police officers. The wave of protests came as a New York prosecutor announced that a grand jury would consider charges in one of the cases that has heightened tensions between African Americans and the police.
The case in question involves the shooting death of 28-year-old Akai Gurley, who was killed by a police officer in a dimly lit staircase at a Brooklyn apartment building on November 20. Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson stated that he would present all the evidence to a grand jury to determine whether charges should be brought against the officer.
The decision to protest comes in the wake of grand juries declining to press charges against white officers involved in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black father-of-six, in New York. The protests have been largely peaceful, with hundreds of demonstrators demanding justice for the victims and chanting I can’t breathe, which were Garner’s final words as he was held down by police.
In Miami, where protests had not previously taken place, demonstrators also blocked traffic to show their dissatisfaction. The recent cases have sparked comparisons to modern-day lynchings, according to Kevin Powell, a representative for Gurley’s family. Gurley’s girlfriend, Melissa Butler, expressed her desire for justice, questioning how she would explain to their daughter that her father would not be coming back.
The New York Daily News reported that the officer involved in Gurley’s shooting texted his union representative while Gurley lay dying. The officer and his partner waited over six minutes before making a radio call for help. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton’s National Action Network is scheduled to hold another rally in Harlem on Saturday morning.
Despite the protests, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio noted a decrease in complaints of police misconduct and excessive force, indicating a decline in such incidents. The ongoing demonstrations seek to raise awareness and demand accountability in cases of police violence against unarmed black men.
In conclusion, a wave of protests has swept across the United States as thousands of demonstrators express their discontent over the killings of unarmed black men by white police officers. The protests come as a grand jury is set to consider charges in the case of Akai Gurley, who was fatally shot by a police officer in Brooklyn. These demonstrations follow similar protests sparked by grand juries declining to press charges in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The ongoing protests aim to demand justice and address concerns about police violence against African Americans.
