Updated Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 9:48 p.m.
Tuesday afternoon hundreds of protesters shut down the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City for a period, according to RT.com. They had marched from Union Square in lower Manhattan, down to City Hall and New York Police Department headquarters before heading over the iconic bridge connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, reported the outlet. At least several were arrested.
In Union Square Dr. Cornel West addressed the marchers, urging them to love everyone and stand up for those who are oppressed throughout the world. He then noted, “Don’t be confused by some black faces in high places. For 7 year’s there’s been our black and brown brothers and sisters shot down by the police. Black president, Black Attorney General, Black cabinet secretary of Homeland [Security] and not one policeman sent to jail…something just ain’t right.”
Meanwhile, in San Francisco protesters shut down City Hall, according to The Examiner. Hundreds disrupted the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, and shouted “Shame on you!” when the Black board president, London Breed, shut down the meeting. She said they could not conduct business that way, but protesters complained their concerns were not being heard, according to the newspaper.
Ferguson, Mo. and Los Angeles were among the other cities that saw protests today.
Earlier:
Tuesday across the country, those fed up with the relationship between law enforcement and people of color will come together to rally against unjust police violence. The #SHUTDOWNA14 movment will happen in almost 30 American cities, with the promise of “disrupting business as usual.”
“April 14 is focused on stopping police murder because police terror criminalizes black and Latino youth – that is if they can survive to prove they are innocent,” longtime activist and Stop Mass Incarceration co-founder Carl Dix tells NewsOne.
“We are going to be acting to disrupt business as usual,” explains Dix. “Because business as usual gives police a green light to kill Black and Latino youth. We march while the killings continue and people are accepting them. We want to take the energy and spirit of Ferguson and take that even higher.”
Dix will join artists, clergy, activists, and family members of those killed by police at Union Square in New York City at 2pm.
Other prominent voices in support of the #SHUTDOWNA14 protest include academic and activist Dr. Cornel West, writer Alice Walker, Vagina Monologues creator Eve Ensler, Rev. Calvin O. Butts of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill, actress Jasmine Guy, and rapper Jasiri X.
“We are unapologetic about our love of our young people, our precious people, our middle aged people, our older people [pointing at faces of people murdered by police],” says West. “And when you love folk, you hate the fact that they’ve been treated unjustly. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re gonna march on April 14. Oh yes. I don’t care what color you are. How deep is your love for the young people?”
Alice Walker also lent her support via a statement: “I expect to see you out there, somewhere, wherever you are, on April 14. When you go out on April 14th, you will see that you are creating – as you have done before, and all of your ancestors and older people have done – you are creating a community of resistance. This is the essence of what we need to have now.”
For more information, and to find marches in your city, log onto stopincarceration.net
SEE ALSO: Get The Latest On The #March2Justice From NYC To DC
