CUSU BME Campaign holds Ferguson solidarity rally
The decision of a grand jury not to press charges against Officer Darren Wilson, who shot unarmed Michael Brown, has sparked protests across the US and the world
Update 27/11/2014:
The CUSU BME Campaign has set up a fundraising page in response to the Michael Brown solidarity protests. In conjunction with the photo campaign, the BME campaign are raising money for two charities: the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which works to combat UK police brutality, and and the St Louis Area Foodbank, which works in Ferguson, Missouri. They have also released further photos from this week's campaign, a few of which can be seen here.
The CUSU Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Campaign organised a protest in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri, after a grand jury declined to indict the white police officer who shot an unarmed black teenager in August.
Michael Brown, aged 18, was shot dead by Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department in circumstances still in dispute. The shooting triggered protests, followed by violent unrest and looting across the city of Ferguson and the wider St Louis area.
A grand jury, a body of lay people empanelled to decide whether there is enough evidence to charge a suspect with a crime, decided on Monday night not to charge Officer Wilson.
The decision triggered a new spate of demonstrations and rioting across Ferguson, along with solidarity protests across the US and the world. Among them was the CUSU BME Campaign, who held a photo campaign on Tuesday 25th November at the Faculty of Law, outside King’s College and in Emmanuel College under the slogan “Black Lives Matter: RIP Michael Brown.”
Jeremy Waller, owner of Primavera, a shop on King's Parade, was unhappy about the peaceful gatherings. He accused the organisers of creating "dividing lines" that could "incite the very tensions we have nearly made irrelevant in the UK". Confronting a small group of students participating in the vigil outside King's College on Monday, he warned them against any "provocative" behaviour.
In a statement released today, Yasmin Lawal and Audrey Sebantindira said: "We feel for Michael Brown’s family and the Ferguson community. This is a chance for Cambridge to show our solidarity; to show to them that here, across the pond, there are people who care.
"That said, we recognise that this is not an exclusively American issue, and that there have been similar instances in the UK. Hence, in addition to the solidarity campaign, we will be raising money to donate to the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. It’s been great to see such a diverse mix of Cambridge students getting involved, and the CUSU BME Campaign think it’s important to raise awareness about the issue here."
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