At a press conference held last night after the Eric Garner ruling, Rev. Al Sharpton called for a march on Washington, reports CBS DC. The march is scheduled to start at noon next Saturday, December 13.
The march, sponsored by Sharpton’s National Action Network, will include members of both Garner’s and Michael Brown’s families.
“It is time for a national march to deal with a national crisis,” Sharpton said. “We are not advocating violence; we are asking that police violence stop.”
The problem, Sharpton said, stems from the grand jury process. In order to see change, we must sever the relationship between state prosecutors and law enforcement officials, he said. He suggested the formation of an independent department whose sole purpose would be the unbiased investigation of police officers.
Sharpton was surrounded by Garner’s grieving family at the press conference. Garner’s widow, Esaw Garner, made a passionate speech, refusing to accept the New York Police Department’s condolences.
“Somebody that gets paid to do right did wrong, and he’s not held accountable for it,” Garner said. “But my husband’s death will not be in vain. As long as I have a breath in my body, I will fight the fight to the end.”
More information about the march can be found on the National Action Network’s website.