Baltimore Caravan Leaves To Join National March In Ferguson, Mo.
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A group of Baltimore activists are, right now, on their way to St. Louis and then Ferguson, Mo.
As Mike Schuh reports, they want to protest what's going on there while drawing attention to problems here.
The caravan, which was sponsored by several local groups The Baltimore Peoples Power Assembly, the Baltimore chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the We, the Peoples Movement, hopes to bring justice and awareness for Michael Brown and any victims of "police terror and abuse."
The families of Tyrone West and Anthony Anderson spoke at the send-off Friday morning at 2011 N. Charles Street. West died in Baltimore city police custody on July 18, 2013 when he was arrested during a traffic stop and went into medical distress. Anderson died from blunt force trauma he allegedly received during a confrontation with police in September 2012 in East Baltimore. In both cases the officers were not charged.
In St. Louis, new protests have sprung after a teen who opened fire on police was shot and killed by officers.
A justified shooting or not, residents still tense two months later over what happened to Michael Brown next door in Ferguson took to the streets.
Now, a Baltimore group of activists is traveling to Missouri. The trip is partially organized by Rev. Cortly Witherspoon.
"Well, they live in a war torn city. This is the second police murder that they've had, unfortunately. I think about the people here in Baltimore," Witherspoon said.
They are church people packing into a rented church van traveling to a national protest in Ferguson this weekend. Fifteen people traveling halfway across the country with an eye still on Baltimore.
"And I think about the fact that right now we are in a climate where, quite frankly, the police appear to be out of control," Witherspoon said.
How does going to Missouri help Baltimore?
"Because it's linked. Police terror is a problem all across this country in every single city, and we'll get a chance to network with people and come up with solutions," said Sharon Black, Baltimore Peoples Power Assembly.
Young, old, black, white, messengers from Maryland are stopping in St. Louis first before arriving in Ferguson.
That drive to Missouri is 15 hours long.
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