Darren Wilson Non-Indictment Calif. Protesters Surprise Militarized Police

After officially announced Monday that Missouri grand jury would not indict a white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of a black teenager Michael Brown, Californians saw anger, tears and streets protests that surprised militarized police.

“People who care about humanity are understandably outraged at the epidemic of killing by police,” said Debra Sweet of The Wold Can’t Wait in a written statement.

“What can possibly justify this?” she asked, with the photo below.

In South Los Angeles, many residents said they were disappointed but not surprised.

“It’s a sad day in history,” said Ted Baxter, 53, in a Crenshaw Boulevard shop.

“I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that the grand jury made this decision,” he said. “It’s our job to get justice here. And that may mean pressuring the Justice Department to act. Voices across the country will be heard.”

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said last week that his officers would facilitate lawful, peaceful demonstrations but would not tolerate vandalism or violence. He said the department was prepared to deploy extra patrols if needed.

Protesters, however, surprised police who were geared to the hilt with military grade weapons. Protesters briefly blocked part of 10 Freeway.

California Highway Patrol officers got them off and the LAPD described the protests as peaceful.

Community leaders and LAPD officials spent days preparing for potential reactions to the grand jury’s decision. Los Angeles police declared a citywide tactical alert Monday afternoon, freeing more officers and resources.

By mid-Monday evening, a department spokesman said most demonstrations were in Leimert Park and had been peaceful.

About 100 people marched down Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, slowing traffic and shouting for people to get out of their cars. 

“Hands up! Don’t shoot!” they chanted. “Whose streets? Our streets!”

Protests will continue tomorrow. One, endorsed by Out Against War, is scheduled at the Los Angeles Downtown Federal Courhouse, 312 N. Spring Street at 3:00 PM.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable president, said he and other civil rights leaders had already delivered a petition to the U.S. attorney’s office asking for federal civil rights charges in the Brown case. He recalled anger following the King acquittal decades ago.

“I’m seeing the same thing again. I’m hearing the same thing again,” he said. “The only difference is King lived and Brown didn’t.

“When officers break the law … there’s no punishment, no accountability,” he said. “That’s a dangerous message to send.”

So far, however, the direct action training protesters have been attending seem to have paid off, at least in California where protests have been peaceful.