Protesters Rally In St. Paul After Philando Castile Decision
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Dozens of protesters who say prosecutor John Choi didn't go far enough marched through the streets of St. Paul Wednesday night.
The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice says Officer Yanez should have been charged with murder, and should have been arrested immediately. Protesters blocked streets and marched on light rail tracks.
As the day ended at the J.J. Montessori School -- where Castile was a cafeteria manager -- students and parents reacted to news that the officer who shot Castile would be charged with manslaughter.
"I'm surprised in a good way," parent Reka Laeger-Hagemeister said. "Because that should happen -- when somebody gets shot that's not threatening you, you shouldn't just get to shoot somebody."
Hours after school let out, protesters with signs took over the parking lot. Their message is that the charges against Officer Yanez aren't enough.
"The reason I'm a little distressed about second and third-degree murder not being the charges is that both of those carry a much more severe penalty than second degree manslaughter, which is just kind of like, 'Oh, an accident happened,'" Michelle Gross told protesters through a megaphone.
The crowd then marched onto University Avenue, and then onto the light rail. They also made a stop outside a police precinct. They say it's a fight they plan to continue.
"Because we keep putting money into killing people and locking people up, and we don't put that money into keeping our community safe," protester David Foxman said.