Protests continued across the US over the refusal of a Missouri Grand Jury to indict white police officer Darren Wilson who shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown. Thousands participated and freeways were shut down, bridges blocked, shopping malls invaded and more.
In response, President Obama says he wants to avoid militarized police culture and announced a three year $263 million dollar spending package to increase the use of body-worn cameras by police and for police department reform.
And US Attorney General Eric Holder says he will soon be announcing guidance to Federal law enforcement and related agencies to reduce racial profiling.
The city with the highest number of arrests in the wake of the Ferguson decision is Los Angeles despite the efforts of so-named community leaders who met in the weeks leading up to the Ferguson decision with law enforcement officials on how to control protests. Close to 300 protesters have been arrested in LA. Our guests in studio are Patrice Cullors and Damon Turner of BlackLivesMatterLA.
And turmoil in Egypt: in what is seen by many as the final blow to the Arab Spring, Egypt’s military government has dismissed the case against former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the killing of protesters in Cairo. Protesters have taken to the streets but are being blocked from Tahir Square, the location of the revolution that brought down Mubarak by the military.
Also our weekly “Earth Minute.”
