The phrase “hands up, don’t shoot” has become a rallying cry and trending hashtag across the country. The expression, “to throw your hands up,” can indicate hopelessness or that something is too difficult to continue, which resonates with how helpless some feel after the many incidents of shootings of black men by police. “Hands up, don’t shoot” is used to protest police abuses and started after the death of Michael Brown, who was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri last August. Some officers say this chant makes teens more emboldened and non-compliant with the police, along with being a questionable retelling of the events of Michael Brown’s death. Listen to hear how this chant is seen in different ways to different people.
Story Length: 4:49
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December 7, 2021
4:04
Three men in Brunswick, Georgia, were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery. Arbery, a Black man, was chased by the men in a pickup truck while he was jogging through a primarily white neighborhood, where they cornered him and then shot and killed him. The men were not charged with a crime until months later, after a cellphone video was released. The incident sparked outrage and prompted protests over racially motivated violence. A nearly all-white jury decided the case. Listen to the voices of community members and leaders as they react to the jury’s guilty verdict.
Read MoreDecember 14, 2014
3:46
The grand jury decision not to indict the white New York City police officer responsible for the chokehold death of Eric Garner during an arrest, has led to protests across the country. From die-ins that block traffic to shutting down shopping malls, these efforts require organization, passion and a high degree of communication. This public radio story looks at how today’s social actions are organized and what they’ve learned from the civil rights movement.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2014
4:30
On Sunday November 23rd, a grand jury in St. Louis, Missouri decided there was not enough evidence to indict, or bring a case against, Darren Wilson. Wilson is the white Ferguson police officer who killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. The city and surrounding communities erupted into protests at the news that the police officer wouldn’t be charged. There were also peaceful protests around the country. Use this public radio story to discuss the decision and the protests.
Read MoreAugust 21, 2014
3:55
Demonstrations and unrest in Ferguson Missouri continue in response to the shooting death of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager killed by local police on August 9th. This public radio story brings us sounds of these demonstrations and voices of Ferguson residents. Listen to learn more about the underlying racial tensions that exist between Ferguson residents and police.
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