100 Spokane marchers peacefully protest Ferguson decision
About 100 people marched through downtown Spokane chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” Tuesday evening to show their support for the community of Ferguson, Missouri.
Tuesday’s march organized by the Spokane branch of the NAACP was peaceful, in contrast to the rioting in Ferguson this week after a grand jury’s decision not to indict a white police officer for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed black man.
“It’s just individuals coming to support the idea that black lives matter and standing in solidarity with Ferguson,” said Rachel Dolezal, Spokane NAACP president-elect. She noted an analysis completed by the nonprofit news organization ProPublica last month that found that black males ages 15 to 19 are 21 times more likely to be shot by police officers than their white counterparts.
Several marchers wore sweatshirts and T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Don’t shoot,” which has become a rallying cry in Ferguson in the wake of Brown’s killing on Aug. 9.
A few black men and teens staged a “die-in,” lying down on the wet sidewalk in front of Spokane’s City Hall on Spokane Falls Boulevard while their family members traced their outlines in chalk.
“It’s a representation of those who have been slain by police in America,” Dolezal said.
Several people used a megaphone to rally the growing crowd before marching through the streets of downtown. “We are valuable and we are equal,” one person said. “Black life matters.”
The marchers stretched an entire city block as they walked down the sidewalks. At least six Spokane police officers observed the event, but hung back and didn’t interact with the protesters even as they chanted “Indict, convict, send that killer cop to jail” and “Hey hey, ho ho, these killer cops have got to go.”
A prayer for peace was offered as the march came to an end.
“This is a night for the people of color,” said Debra Conklin, who is white. “I’m here to support them.”
Outgoing Spokane NAACP president James Wilburn said he came to the rally because there have been too many shootings of black people.
“It’s significant,” he said. “It’s an issue that needs to be addressed. It’s the new Jim Crow. It’s the modern day lynching.”