Outrage over decision not to indict Darren Wilson for killing of Michael Brown

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers expresses outrage at the grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. This denial of justice sustains the culture of impunity which allows racist and overly violent officers to damage the social fabric of the nation and destroy lives. It is a symptom of a widespread system of racial injustice that continues to criminalise and oppress minority communities. 

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers supports the Brown family and all families who have suffered as a result of police brutality. Across the United States of America similar tragedies continue to occur as a result of police profiling, excessive use of lethal force and institutional racism. In just the last week, police have shot and killed two other unarmed African-Americans – Akai Gurley, 28, “accidentally” gunned down in his Brooklyn stairwell; and Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy holding a BB gun near a Cleveland playground. 

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers expresses its solidarity with protesters across the United States of America who have voiced their disappointment and anger at the verdict. We strongly oppose the use of excessive force by officers and the criminalisation of protesters in Ferguson, the usage of military technology for domestic policing, the deployment of the National Guard, and the actions taken by police officers to shut out media reporting.

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers denounces this state sanctioned violence and calls upon Darren Wilson to be federally indicted and for an inquiry to take place into the actions taken by St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch and the Ferguson Police Department.

We call on our members and all who read this statement to sign the petition to take this prosecution of Officer Darren Wilson to the Missouri Supreme Court: https://www.change.org/p/the-supreme-court-of-missouri-take-the-case-of-michael-brown-popularly-dubbed-the-ferguson-case-to-the-missouri-supreme-court-with-ferguson-officer-darren-wilson-as-the-accused

We also call on our members to attend this evening's (26 November) protest outside the US Embassy, 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 2LQ at 5.30pm. The protest is being organised by Stand Up to Racism in opposition to the decision not to prosecute and the police brutality being carried out currently in Ferguson, and as a show of solidarity with the family of Michael Brown and other victims of state racism.