Local protests against Eric Garner, Michael Brown decisions
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Multiple protests were held around the Triangle Thursday against the decisions by grand juries in New York and Ferguson, Missouri not to indict police officers in the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases.
Students at NCCU in Durham held a "die in" on campus - symbolizing the cases Thursday afternoon.
Protests in the Triangle continued into the evening hours. Just fewer than 100 people gathered in downtown Raleigh at Moore Square. They protested the grand jury decision out of New York to not indict the police officer who put Garner in the chokehold that led to his death.
They gathered in the same spot where just last Tuesday they protested the grand jury decision out of Ferguson to not indict the police officer in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Protesters started by chanting the words "I can't breathe" eleven times, to represent the number of times Garner said those words before he passed away.
Many in the crowd were angry and visibly upset as they each took a turn at the microphone.
"Last week I was angry. This week, I'm passed angry," said one protester.
Others said to stop shopping at big retailers as another way to make a statement.
The group then marched two blocks from Moore Square to the Federal Building on New Bern Avenue. Raleigh police officers blocked traffic during the short march. All this was in an effort to show that the protests and the marches will not be the end of this.
"I want him to see his fellow citizens out, taking to the streets," said Sarah Sydney, a mom in the crowd, joined protesters with her son in a stroller because she wants more for his future.
"I want him at an early age to not be afraid to speak out for what's right," said Sydney.
Also in the crowd was Jonise Brown, a woman who hopes reaching out peacefully will make a difference.
"To bring a better communication toward ourselves, the community, our government, the systems, I think that would help."
After all the violence that has erupted around the country in the wake of Garner's death and in the wake of Michael Brown's death, fellow protester, Melzee Odombs still has hope for healing.
When ABC11 asked Odombs if he believes forgiveness is possible out of all this, he said, "Yeah. But it'll take time. It'll take some time."
