“Justice for All” March in DC (Pics)
WASHINGTON – They boarded on trains, buses, and airplanes heading to the nation's capital. Although they were coming from different states and backgrounds, the protesters raised their voice on Saturday afternoon and send a common message to lawmakers of the nearby Capitol: put an end to police violence.
The civil rights march, which was spearheaded by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, brought for the first time together all the family members of the high profile black men who died at the hands of police officers.
They were joined by thousands of protesters from all over the country, who overwhelmed the Pennsylvania Avenue while walking east towards the U.S. Capitol.
A group of young demonstrators, however, seized the stage for a few minutes and used a bullhorn for denouncing Sharpton and the commercial element of the protest.
The group accused Sharpton of hijacking a movement that started in Ferguson, and maintained that "Justice for All" lacked the spontaneous character of other demonstrations, which erupted in the aftermath of jury verdicts through the use of social media.
But when Sharpton took the podium he made a plea for peace and unity.
"This is not a black march or a white march," Sharpton explained. "This is an American march so the rights of all Americans are protected. I am inspired when I see white kids holding up signs saying 'Black Lives Matter.'"
The Capitol rally's most moving moment came when the family members of the victims, Tamar Rice, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown, addressed the crowd.
Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, expressed her gratitude towards America and the protesters for their support. She said that she only wants a fair trial for deciding whether the officer who killed her son deserves to be punished.
"Let the officer get arrested and bring him in front of a criminal jury so he can get the opportunity to prove his innocence and we can prove our justice," she said.
Gwen Carr, Garner's mother, thanked also the protesters and expressed the belief that the march marks a historical moment for the contemporary civil rights movement.
"It is just so overwhelming to see all of you to have come to stand with us today," Garner's mother said. "Look at the masses: black, white, all races, and all religions. This is a really great moment. This is a history-making moment."
Getting close to the end of the speeches, Sharpton revoked the timeless legacy of the civil rights movement and warned Congress "that we would be back over and over again" until true change is fulfilled.
"We are here today because we must have this nation deal with the fact that, just like 50 years ago, the states have taken a position to rob the human rights and civil rights of citizens," Sharpton explained. "You may bury us, but you did not know you were burying seeds. We would grow stronger and last longer."