'Men in suits' rally in L.A. uses silent vigil to protest police actions

Support for LAist comes from

Become a sponsor

Podcasts Take Two

Dec 18, 2014

Listen • 7:37

'Men in suits' rally in L.A. uses silent vigil to protest police actions

Yesterday in downtown Los Angeles, a group of about 50 African American men gathered in front of the federal courthouse for a silent vigil.

Officials stand guard near Radio City Music Hall, where protesters gathered on the perimeter of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony after it was announced that the New York City police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner is not being indicted, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014, in New York. A grand jury cleared the white New York City police officer Wednesday in the videotaped chokehold death of Garner, an unarmed black man, who had been stopped on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes, a lawyer for the victim's family said. A video shot by an onlooker and widely viewed on the Internet showed the 43-year-old Garner telling a group of police officers to leave him alone as they tried to arrest him. The city medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide and found that a chokehold contributed to it. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Yesterday in downtown Los Angeles, a group of about 50 African American men gathered in front of the federal courthouse for a silent vigil.

They were all dressed in suits and appeared in support of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and other alleged victims of police misconduct.

The demonstration was held at noon and LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas delivered a speech at the event.

"The lives we live, the lives that we lead, cannot be, should not be devalued," said Ridley-Thomas. "And the 'we' is larger than Michael Brown, Eric Garner, but is most assuredly inclusive of them."