“#DCFerguson Movement Announces Plans in Event Darren Wilson Not Indicted—Responds to MPD ‘Preparations’” 

Day-After Verdict
Rally/March

7:00 p.m. Mt. Vernon Square Park

In the event Ofc. Darren Wilson is not indicted in the killing of Michael Brown the #DCFerguson Movement will be holding a march and rally in response beginning at 7pm at Mt. Vernon Square Park. In our view this case needs to be decided in front of a jury. There is more than enough evidence to indict Ofc. Wilson. Grand Juries indict people for far less on an everyday basis all around this country. There has been a remarkable double standard when police officers kill. They are allowed to take long paid vacations while the “facts” are determined and more often than not face no charges or at best low level charges that don’t reflect their actual actions. These double standards must end as must the impunity with which the police kill and brutalize people, in particular young Black males.

It has also come to our attention that police chief Cathy Lanier has ordered “Civil Distrubance Units” a nice phrase for “riot squads” to be on alert for disturbances Sunday and Monday. We view this as entirely unacceptable. #DCFerguson has coordinated a large scale response for a number of months without any incident. In fact protests surrounding the murder of Trayvon Martin, Troy Davis, the Jena Six and Sean Bell all took place for a number of weeks over the past few years without any incident. The Metropolitan Police Department has no reason to expect anything different in this case.

It is clear that the only real goal of this announcement is to place a chilling effect on the exercise by citizens of their First Amendment rights. It creates the perception that there is some danger in going into the streets to express opposition to a potential non-indictment. This is a pattern taking place around the country. Ferguson revealed significant police violence, yet somehow the police have turned the narrative into some expectation of massive violent acts coming from those outraged at the killing of Michael Brown, something that bears zero resemblance to the reality of the movement so far nationally or locally.

Chief Lanier has shown through her own actions (jump-outs, unconstituonal checkpoints) and words (support for the 1033 program) that she is a supporter of militarized policing. Her announcement regarding potential “disturbances” is a thinly veiled attempt to deflect rising anger in the District around militarized policing.

Recent Council hearings clearly established the fact that MPD employs racially-biased and militarized methods of policing in communities across the District. By attempting to put a damper on protests following a potential non-indictment that will also highlight MPD practices Chief Lanier is attempting to hide from District residents the reality of policing in D.C. particularly, again, for young Black males.

#DCFerguson demands that the MPD rescind the Civil Disturbance Unit activation and apologize for creating any implication that protestors are planning to do anything more than what they have for years—assert their rights in the street, and demand an end to dehumanizing, racist practices by police departments around the country. Further we demand that the D.C. Council, Mayor Gray, and Mayor-elect Bowser disavow this order and affirm that they support the right of #DCFerguson and anyone else to express their outrage free of police intimidation.

We reiterate to residents of the D.C. Metro Area that our protest is welcome to all outraged by the killing of Michael Brown and police abuses here in D.C. and other area municipalities. We will not be silenced.

The original Call to Action for #DCFerguson explains: “Residents of the District of Columbia, just like millions around the country recognize that at the root of Ferguson are the social, racial and economic injustices that exist nationwide. They know that Ferguson could really be anywhere and Michael Brown could be any young Black male. According to a report by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, every 28 hours a Black person is killed by a police officer, security, or vigilante in the United States. There is almost complete impunity for the perpetrators of most of these crimes. The political marginalization and racialized poverty that exist in Ferguson are replicated in communities across the country.

“The murder of Michael Brown and the situation in Ferguson can and should be a turning point. Where we finally come to terms with the root causes of these issues and address social deprivation and oppression and the police brutality that comes with it." 

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