Our Vision

We are striving for a world where we deal with harm in our communities through healing, love, and kinship.  This means an end to state sponsored violence, including the excessive use of force by law enforcement.  We are committed to an America that comes to terms with the trauma of its painful history and finds true reconciliation for it.  Mass incarceration and the criminalization of black and brown people must forever end, leaving in its place a culture that embraces our histories and stories.  This means an end to racial bias and white supremacy in all its forms.

Our dreams are directly linked with those resisting militarism, war, and state repression around the world. We will achieve this new beloved community hand in hand, step by step, in global solidarity with all people committed to lasting peace and full justice.

Demands

The murder of Michael Brown and its aftermath have exposed the ongoing crisis of police-on-black crime. As we work toward justice for the Brown family, we must also address the ongoing systemic problems of police practices in black, brown and all oppressed communities. We come together as diverse organizations to speak with one voice, so that the greater St. Louis area can become a model for justice for all across the United States.

Local Demands

1. Swift and impartial investigation by the Department of Justice into the Michael Brown shooting and an expanded Department of Justice investigation into patterns of civil rights violations by police across North St. Louis County.

2. Immediate arrest of Darren Wilson.

3. County Prosecutor Robert McCullough to stand down and allow a Special Prosecutor to be appointed.

4. Firing of Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson.

5. Accountability for police practices and policies, including effective civilian review regarding shootings and allegations of misconduct.

6. Immediate de-escalation of militarized policing of protestors to protect constitutional rights.

7. Immediate release of individuals who have exercised their rights to assemble and protest.

National Demands

1. Obama to come to Ferguson to meet with the people whose human rights have been violated by aggressive and militarized policing, including the family of the victim – Michael Brown.

2. Eric Holder to use the full resources and power of the Department of Justice to implement a nationwide investigation of systematic police brutality and harassment in black and brown communities.

3. Ensure transparency, accountability, and safety of our communities by requiring front facing cameras in police departments with records of racial disparities in stops, arrests, killings, and excessive force complaints.

4. Immediate suspension without pay of law enforcement officers that have used or approved excessive use of force. Additionally, their names and policing history should be made available to the public.

**This is a reflection of the local demands as expressed by local organizations leading on the ground in Ferguson, such as Organization for Black Struggle, Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment, and others. The National Demands reflect demands developed by organizations such as Freedom Side, Dream Defenders and Color of Change.

Source:
www.handsupunited.org