Marking six months since the killing of unarmed black teenager Mike Brown, demonstrations in both New York City and Ferguson, Missouri made clear that the movement that's grown in the wake of Brown's death "ain't gonna stop."
On Monday morning, protesters staged a funeral procession outside the home of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. Carrying a casket and signs emblazoned with the names of other recent victims of police brutality, the demonstrators said they want to remind state officials that the protests will not subside until their demands have been answered.
"They tried to bury us but didn't know we are seeds," one sign read, referring to the national racial justice movement that has grown in the wake of the recent police killings.
#MondayMourning at the residence of @MayorSlay to mark SIX MONTHS of #ferguson #Stl #ABanks pic.twitter.com/DhTN9dZkbr
— .aaron.banks. (@AaronWBanks) February 9, 2015
Later that day, a memorial was held outside the Canfield Green apartment complex in Ferguson, Missouri, where the unarmed Brown was shot by St. Louis Police Officer Darren Wilson. The mood among those who gathered, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, revealed that the community is still "at a tense place" and that a lot of people "are still angry."
Beverly Jones, 52, said that, although "people are talking" about some of the issues, such as the civilian oversight board of police currently under discussion, "we have to keep the pressure up."
After the vigil, a group of demonstrators moved to the Ferguson Police Department where seven protesters were reportedly arrested for chalking phrases such as "black lives matter" and "no more murders" on SLPD property.
Among those taken into custody was wheelchair-bound videographer Heather De Mian, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder of the body’s connective tissue. According to reports, De Mian, who for months has live-streamed the protests and events around Ferguson under the handle @MissJupiter1957, was knocked from her chair before being hit in the face by one officer.
She later wrote on Twitter:
.@ms_tjp After getting knocked out of w/c, cop stole my phone out of holder, & hit me in face, knocking glasses 10ft into street.
— Heather (@MissJupiter1957) February 10, 2015
And in New York City, a small band of demonstrators braved biting winter temperatures to rally outside a federal courthouse in Foley Square Monday evening. Afterwards, the group staged a die-in in Grand Central Station disrupting the commuter foot-traffic while singing protest songs.
"We ain't gonna stop til our people are free," they sang.
NYC #BlackLivesMatter demo for 6 month anniversary of #MikeBrown's murder returns to #GrandCentral. #MourningMonday pic.twitter.com/Q2QPUebHka
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) February 10, 2015
