Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Oakland, CA. joins Ferguson protests across U.S. for second night

A fresh round of protests over the grand jury decision on Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri has taken place in cities across the United States.

On Tuesday, people again took to the streets to voice their anger after Monday's announcement that police officer Darren Wilson would not face charges for shooting dead the unarmed black teenager.

Protesters, some chanting "black lives matter", have staged demonstrations in cities including Washington, D.C., Houston, Texas and Oakland, California -- from where Rebecca Bowring reports.

IN: UPSOT
OUT: SOC
DUR: 1:48

PKG

UPSOT: The whole damn system is guilty as hell.

From the East to the West Coast of the United States, it's been a day of angry public protest.

Dozens of demonstrations flared up in communities hundreds of miles from the St Louis suburb of Ferguson…

In Oakland, the decision not to indict Darren Wilson ignited simmering tensions over the relationship between police and community.

VOX: We cannot have armed thugs running in our community, killing our people with impunity and getting away with it on every occasion.

VOX: I'm outraged and sickened by the blatant disregard for black life that happens every day in the United States.

Protesters gathered outside the police headquarters, and were moved on. 

Then they marched en masse through the city center.

Police departments in other major cities have had to brace for large demonstrations…

In Seattle, a day-time protest outside the Courthouse building was peaceful -- but emotionally charged.

UPSOT: Mike Brown was killed over everything that we just did today by marching down the middle of a damn street. He lost his life for what we exercise our right to do today.

In Houston, Texas, three to four hundred people gathered near the University of Houston to listen to powerful rhetoric.

UPSOT: We have voted to keep the system the same; we have to break the cycle.

And people of all races took part in the demonstration in the U.S. capital.

Local activists and community leaders called for greater police accountability..

VOX: We're here to demand justice for not just Mike Brown but for all these African people who get killed by the police.

Some have dubbed these protests the "next day mobilization". 

No one can be quite sure for how many more days they will go on.

Rebecca Bowring, Oakland California.