In August 2014, was shot in the US city of Ferguson black Teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer. Five years later, the events after work. From Ferguson Carla Bleiker reported.
Michael Brown at the Memorial for his slain son
The Canfield Drive, a of old tree-lined road that shimmers in the heat. The insects buzzing, chirping, and buzzing so loud that you can hear the mosquito bites practically before you feel it. The people who Park in front of the “Canfield Green Apartments”complex, to see that they come out of their air-conditioned cars fast in their air-conditioned apartments. But aside from the sweltering heat, the area around the Canfield Drive, a beautiful neighborhood to Live in. Actually.
“Nice area, the people have told. It was so long nice, until it was,” says Michael Brown, Sr., The tall man walks in front of a plaque in the squat, which is embedded on Canfield Drive in the footpath. In front of the plaque a couple of Teddy bears and plastic flowers are. A few meters further, brown’s son died five years ago.
9. August 2014: Michael Brown Jr. is on the way to his grandmother, who lives in the “Canfield Green Apartments”. Together with a friend, he runs the Canfield Drive along, on the road, not on the narrow footpath. It’s summer vacation, the 18-year-old African-Americans is done with school and has the promise of a Technical College in the bag, he’s supposed to start in just a few days training to be an air conditioning technician.
On Canfield Drive, Michael Brown Jr was. of a white police officer shot and killed
At 12 o’clock noon, the two boys from a Police be stopped. The reason is that pedestrians should not walk on the street. Of what happened then, there are many different versions of it. Is: It comes to a physical altercation between Brown and the white stripes, police officer Darren Wilson. Wilson gives off several shots from his service weapon, six of which hit the Teenager. The last shot goes in brown’s head and kills him.
Ferguson burns
About four hours brown’s body on Canfield Drive are. As long as it takes, until the various relevant police services have completed their work. In this time, the news is spreading from the black, unarmed Teenager, was shot by a white police officer, like a wild fire.
What followed were the biggest protests in Ferguson’s history. Thousands of, mostly black demonstrators gathered initially for a peaceful vigil, and then the Situation escalated. It came to rule, the right-hand street battles, the police used tear gas and Dog teams, many shops were destroyed or burned. The protests lasted for months, the “Black Lives Matter”movement came during this time, rolling. The Ferguson Police Department has been criticized for the use of almost military-style violence. In addition, the black citizens of the city, accusing its police officers of racism. In November 2014 it was announced that Wilson no proceedings would be flared, the protests in Ferguson again.
In the days after the death of Michael Brown was ruled by chaotic conditions in Ferguson
“Our System is as it is, has Wilson saved,” says Michael Brown, Sr., in August of 2019. “I know him personally? No. He could have simply had a bad day? Maybe. But he has committed a racist act.”
The healing process lasts
As a response to the never-ending protests against racist police violence, the U.S. Department of justice initiated an investigation against the police of Ferguson. In March 2015, then the result of the investigation: The Ferguson Police Department in front of go unfairly against its own citizens. Among other things, officials would discriminate in their work, African-American residents.
After a long Back and Forth the city in 2016 presented a document in which they vowed to improve. More than 100 pages and many new rules and plans to improve the Situation were presented. An Anti-racism Training for police officers and programs that should be for a better “Community Policing”, i.e. for the approach of the police to the needs of their citizens among other things.
Many citizens hope that the city’s problems will be solved
Since the introduction of these programmes, three years have passed since brown’s death, five. If you Florissant West Avenue travels along the multi-lane road, on the 2014, protesters and police faced, can be seen still the Remnants of the riots. At the time, small food from burned shops, auto actions, and a gas station, some of the plots are still broke.
But has changed to the structures in Ferguson a little? The relationship between the African-American community of the city and the police are better today than five years ago? “We are still in the healing process, something happens overnight,” said Ella Jones, who was elected in 2015 as the first black woman in the city Council of Ferguson. She stresses, however, that the police will try very, more on the citizens ‘ approach.
My neighbor, the police officer
Tuesday evening, a few days before the fifth anniversary of Michael brown’s death. In the basement of the Emmaus Bible Chapel Community Policing “in action” has to be seen to. Sergeant Tim Harris is a guest at the monthly Meeting of the neighborhood organization forest wood Park. Nearly 20 men and women sitting at a rectangle-put-together tables and talk about everything that concerns the residents of the district.
The point on the Agenda, which occupies by far the most time, is the safety report of Sergeant Harris. He warns to leave the children and dogs in the heat waiting in the car, reported by a band that is already broke in with a number of car dealers and every Time with six to eight vehicles from the dust to power and brings his enchanted listeners up to date about the murder in Sam’s Meat Market (two young men came across a woman in a dispute, one drew his gun).
Then he leads his Bodycam that each of his bets records. The equipment for all officials with such cameras was also one of the changes that were introduced after Officer Wilson Michael Brown shot. “These cameras will help local residents and officials,” says Harris. After his presentation he answered patiently all the questions that the participants of the neighborhood meeting.
“The police officers in my community are class, they really are part of the community,” says Russ Moore after the meeting. Moore moved five years ago, according to Ferguson and is convinced that the behavior of the officers because of the events back then has changed. “They’re your problems now more likely to be aware of. You do not bury your head in the Sand.”
“Trust in the police is not there”
Also Cori Bush says, she has noticed that since a couple of years ago that the brutality of the police take – but the rich are not: “the trust of the black community in the police is still there.” The Democrat ran for 2018 in Missouri 1. District, where Ferguson is located, for the U.S. house of representatives and lost. In 2020, they will compete again. Shortly before the anniversary of Michael brown’s death, they visited the Memorial on Canfield Drive and says it’ll make you angry that police officers in the 1. The district of racist comments on social media posted and no consequences would have to carry.
Bush is running as a candidate in 2020, once again, for the house of representatives. Behind her is a piece of Canfield Drive, which was paved after brown’s death. Here his body lay, and his parents didn’t want his blood remained on the street.
She is also furious when she hears of police officers, the population must change their behavior. “The area we go to the police and shoot them? No!” Bush looks at the place of the Brown died. “The are paid to protect us.”
Michael Brown Sr. says he did it for five years, after his son was shot, to be less angry. He has established a Foundation, the other fathers, that helps have lost a child. And he will remember how much his son loved to play pranks. “A year before he died, Mike made me a all day long know his girlfriend was pregnant, and I believed it,” he says. “When I got him to take in the evening, and finally to the speech wanted to make, he says to me, ‘Dad, you know what is the day today? The 1. April!'” In the reminder of Brown Sr. has to laugh.
The last reminder he has of his son, is the Party to Mike’s graduation. The family celebrated, but father and son also had a small discussion, which they led for the umpteenth time. “I insisted that he goes to College. Mike actually wanted to be a great Rapper – the world should know his name.” Brown Sr. is silent for a short while. “Now the world knows his name in any case.”