Anti-racist activists, already mobilized in response to the Ferguson grand jury decision, came out into the streets with renewed vigor following the New York grand jury decision to not indict killer cop Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold killing of Eric Garner.
Protesters took to the streets on the evenings of Dec. 3, Dec. 4 and plan to go out again on Dec. 5.
On the evening of Dec. 4, this reporter witnessed new levels of determination and militance among demonstrators, as marchers faced down cops wearing full riot gear, carrying batons, pepper spray and other crowd control weapons. “Take off your riot gear, we don’t see no riot here!” protesters chanted.
At several points, the demonstrators surrounded the line of police on both sides. On one occasion, the police stepped aside to allow two groups of marchers to unite. At another point, protesters holding an intersection were blocked in; a small group surged around the line of cops before the police moved to block the sidewalk. The smaller group marched back to Westlake mall and retook the intersection, before setting out to rejoin the larger group of protesters.
At the second occupation of the 4th and Pine intersection, as traffic backed up, a white man got out of his car and threatened demonstrators with a blackjack. As demonstrators chanted, “Arrest him now!” police stepped in and…did nothing. A few minutes later the man emerged from his car again, once again brandishing the blackjack and again the police moved in to “calm down” the aggrieved commuter, while failing to arrest an individual who was threatening violence against non-violent protesters.
According to Max, a street medic, the demonstration ended with a large circle of protesters holding an intersection near downtown who “formed a circle holding hands surrounded by riot police on three sides.
“In all my years marching these streets I never seen solidarity like that. Anarchists, socialists, communists, radicals, etc all hand in hand chanting. ‘AINT NO POWER LIKE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE CUZ THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE DON’T STOP!'”
A midday march is being organized from Garfield High School to the downtown police precinct on Dec. 6.
