Tonight's Wynwood Protest Aims to Inject Current Events Into Cushy Art Basel Weekend
Has there ever been a stranger moment to be in Miami?Photo by George Martinez/gmartnx.com A protester last week in front of the Richard Gerstein Justice Building in Miami.
As grand juries across the country refuse to indict white cops for killing innocent black men, all Miami can talk about is Miley's killer concert. In New York, people are flocking to the streets and shutting down bridges. Here, celebrities are snapping up overpriced art and charging their phones in women's coochies.
If the cognitive dissonance is getting to you, there's a cure. Tonight, protesters will gather in Wynwood to demand justice for Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and Israel Hernandez.
See also: Miami All Quiet After Ferguson Grand Jury Decision Sparks Protests Across the Country
Twice in the past ten days grand juries have decided not to indict white police officers for killing unarmed black men.
Last Monday, a grand jury decided not to charge cop Darren Wilson for shooting teenager Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August.
And Wednesday, another grand jury in New York City decided against indicting the white cop who put Eric Garner in a fatal chokehold July 17.
Last night, demonstrators once again shut down the Brooklyn Bridge to protest police brutality. In Miami, however, things have largely remained quiet.Photo by George Martinez/gmartnx.com
Last week, several hundred protesters marched outside the criminal courthouse (several were arrested). But the unrest has yet to interrupt what has so far been a typically bacchanalian and boisterous Art Basel week.
That could change tonight, however, when protesters gather in Wynwood to demand justice for Brown, Garner, and Hernandez, an 18-year-old street artist who was fatally Tasered by Miami Beach Police last year after they caught him tagging an abandoned McDonald's.
See also: Teenager Israel Hernandez Dies After Miami Beach Cops Catch Him Tagging, Taser Him
The protest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at NW 36th Street and First Avenue. See Facebook for more details.
Send your tips to the author, or follow him on Twitter @MikeMillerMiami.Photo by George Martinez/gmartnx.com
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
Advertisement