#HandsUpWalkOut rallies spread across US in wake of Ferguson decision
Thousands of people across the United States walked out of work and classrooms for a nationwide day of action dubbed 'Hands Up, Walk Out!' The protest comes after a grand jury declined to indict an officer for killing a black teenager.
The organizers – driven primarily by young people – spread the word online via the hashtag #HandsUpWalkOut, asking people to walk out in solidarity with those affected by police violence in Ferguson, Missouri, and around the country.
The walkouts occurred simultaneously at 12 p.m. CST and referenced the 'Hands Up! Don't Shoot!' chant that has been used as a rallying cry all over the US ever since African American teenager Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9.
The campaign also remembered other people lost to police violence, including John Crawford III, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Akai Gurley, Israel Hernandez, Oscar Grant, Ezell Ford, and Ramarley Graham.
Additionally, the campaign comes with a list of demands: an end to all forms of discrimination, the full recognition of human rights, justice for Michael Brown, and freedom for all communities.
Specifically, organizers want the US government to "acknowledge and address structural violence and institutional discrimination that continues to imprison our communities either in a life of poverty and/or one behind bars. We want the United States Government to recognize the full spectrum of our human rights and its obligations under international law."
They are also calling for “an immediate end to police brutality and the murder of black, brown & all oppressed people," full employment, decent housing, quality education and affordable college education, an end to the prison industrial complex, and a de-militarization of local law enforcement.
There were protests in major cities:
Chicago, Illinois:
Protesters in Chicago march toward downtown colleges and universities #Ferguson - @OccupyChicagopic.twitter.com/VQkiexIij1
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) December 1, 2014
Los Angeles, California:
About 30 demonstrators block traffic in South LA as part of #HandsUpWalkout. No arrests. #LAPD escorting. #Fergusonpic.twitter.com/8tVhNBHMSi
— Robert Holguin (@ABC7Robert) December 1, 2014
Washington, DC:
Obama preparing executive order on police militarization http://t.co/VsBia0G7Sr#Fergusonpic.twitter.com/qGWOi7iGSa
— DW (English) (@dw_english) December 1, 2014
New York City:
#HandsUpWalkOut NYC is swelling. And so is the police presence. #Fergusonpic.twitter.com/1ITl6qgCr5
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) December 1, 2014
Thousands are sitting in at Times Square in NYC right now. This is one of dozens of actions part of #HandsUpWalkOut. pic.twitter.com/hU4ZfTltG1
— Z⭐RR⭐ (@Zorro_RL) December 1, 2014
At many college campuses, students rallied or had "die-ins." At Boston University, Massachusetts:
#HandsUpWalkout#Boston#BlackLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/wcroDDXRJv
— Nadia Issa (@Issa_nm) December 1, 2014
At Brandies College, Massachusetts:
#HandsUpWalkOut#ShutItDown very proud of the turnout at Brandeis. photo cred: pic.twitter.com/EuMnUf7Zt2”
— 20% Cooler (@Crystalsees) December 1, 2014
At Harvard University:
High school and Harvard students shut down Harvard Square. #HandsUpWalkOutpic.twitter.com/jt3I6OkVPo
— Tim DeChristopher (@dechristopher) December 1, 2014
At Stanford University, California:
#Stanford stands with #Ferguson. Pic via @_claraluu We'll be talking #HandsUpWalkout today on @thisisfusionpic.twitter.com/WCBMCsIo9O
— Mariana_Atencio (@marianaatencio) December 1, 2014
At Yale University, Connecticut:
Students of @Yale in solidarity with #Fergusonpic.twitter.com/NBxIoZ6GXh. We're talking about #handsupwalkout today on @ThisIsFusion
— Mariana_Atencio (@marianaatencio) December 1, 2014
Clayton High School, St. Louis:
#diein#handsupwalkout#clayton#claytonhighschoolpic.twitter.com/QivBLumlSc
— The Globe (@chsglobe) December 1, 2014
Hyde Park High School, Boston:
2 photos, 1 building: Hyde Park HS, 1974 integration of @BostonSchools & students of @NMHS_TITANS for #HandsUpWalkoutpic.twitter.com/SlYjzduhmz
— Mr. Ratnayake (@MrRatPhysics) December 1, 2014
And middle school students cancelled club meetings at a Hill Valley school in California:
I kid you not, my daughter's middle school Harry Potter's Hogwarts club canceled their meeting today so they could do #HandsUpWalkOut
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) December 1, 2014
Just heard back from my 12 y/o daughter on their #HandsUpWalkOut protest at her school. Here's our text convo. PROUD! pic.twitter.com/HPRl3UJXyr
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) December 1, 2014
Even employees walked out of work in some cases. At Ebony Magazine in New York City:
The @EBONYMag Digital &Fashion-Print NYC team are in full support of the #HandsUpWalkOut movement: pic.twitter.com/eVp4JjDqE8
— EBONY (@EBONYMag) December 1, 2014
At the Arab American Association of New York, Brooklyn:
Feeling emotional at our #HandsUpWalkout in #BayRidge#Brooklyn. #JusticeForMikeBrownpic.twitter.com/uQH8bu5md8
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) December 1, 2014
At the AFL-CIO in St. Louis:
.@AFLCIO employees stand in solidarity w/Ferguson. #HandsupWalkOut because #BlackLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/LBr6YUtaDD
— Jess Livoti-Morales (@JessLivMo) December 1, 2014
At the AFT Union, Washington, DC:
Teachers Union RT @AFTunion We stand in solidarity with those who seek justice. #HandsUpWalkout#BlackLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/ey6tIKAjPQ
— Revolution News (@NewsRevo) December 1, 2014
