Thousands to Converge in St. Louis for “Ferguson October: A Weekend of Resistance”

FERGUSON, Mo. - Oct. 6, 2014 - PRLog -- After nearly 60 days of sustained local protests without any indication of an arrest or indictment in the wake of Mike Brown’s killing by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, thousands of people from across the country are heading to St. Louis and Ferguson to kick off a series of protests, rallies and events entitled “Ferguson October: A Weekend of Resistance.” The weekend’s activities will bring together thousands who want Justice for Mike Brown and will serve as a national call to action to eliminate racial profiling and police violence.

Activists have noted the role that Ferguson has played in shaping a broad conversation about policing and criminal justice that they say is long overdue. “The world has witnessed Eric Garner pleading for a breath while being choked by the NYPD, John Crawford gunned down in a Walmart in Ohio, and Mike Brown shot dead in the street in Ferguson,” said Montague Simmons, Chair of Organization for Black Struggle. “Our nation has received a wake-up call and the resistance, led by youth in Ferguson, has sparked a national movement to dismantle a broken policing system that unfairly targets black communities.”

Rashad Robinson of ColorOfChange.org, an endorsing organization of Ferguson October, added, "This weekend the nation comes to Ferguson to demand justice for Mike Brown and an end to the crisis of discriminatory and violent policing nationwide. We come to raise our voices for a criminal justice system that honors the lives, safety, and dignity of all communities. Hundreds of thousands of ColorOfChange members are outraged at the police killing of Mike Brown, the current spectacle of a Grand Jury, and the continued cover ups and unlawful arrests by St. Louis and Ferguson police. We stand in solidarity with Organization for Black Struggle and other partners in calling on Governor Nixon to hold Missouri law enforcement to a higher standard of policing, appoint a special prosecutor to Officer Darren Wilson's case, and protect the safety of community members protesting for justice."

“Young people in Ferguson have stood together day after day to demand Justice for Mike Brown and assert their right to live,” said Tef Poe, local rapper and organizer with Hands Up United (http://HandsUpUnited.org). “Local police departments have gassed us, beat us and shot us with rubber bullets, but they cannot stop our march for justice. We are inspired and energized by the outpouring of support from so many set to arrive in St. Louis this weekend.”

The current schedule of events:

Clayton, MO-- Friday, October 10, 3PM:  The Weekend of Resistance will start with “Justice Now,” a march and rally outside Prosecutor Bob McCulloch’s office in Clayton to call for him to step aside from the case against Darren Wilson and allow a special prosecutor to be appointed.

Downtown St. Louis-- Saturday, October 11, 10AM: The “Justice for All” national march and rally will begin at the Scott-Trade Center and head to the Old Courthouse. Protestors will have a rally program at Kiener plaza featuring many leaders from the Ferguson movement and around the country.

St. Louis & Ferguson Area-- Sunday, October 12: The Hip Hop and Hope day of action will feature a block party hosted by local hip-hop artists, a mass meeting organized by faith leaders in the tradition of the Civil Rights movement with a keynote from Dr. Cornel West at St. Louis Chaifetz Arena, and other activities throughout the St. Louis and Ferguson area.

St. Louis Area-- Monday, October 13: Taking their cue from the Moral Monday movement in the South, activists and faith leaders will participate in civil disobedience actions around the St. Louis region.

The Ferguson October Weekend of Resistance is sponsored by hundreds of organizations across issue areas, both local and national, including: Organization for Black Struggle, Hands Up United, Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment, ColorofChange.org, (http://ColorofChange.org) PICO National Network, Veterans For Peace, The Catholic Worker, Progressive Democrats of America, St. Louis NAACP, National Domestic Workers Alliance, CODEPINK, The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, SEIU HCII, Working Families, National Network for Arab American Communities and many others.

For updates, a full schedule of events, and compete list of endorsers, visit www.FergusonOctober.com.