Hundreds of students stand in solidarity with Ferguson protests

St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCullough announced the decision at 9 p.m. Monday — there was no probable cause to indict officer Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown, a black teenager who was fatally shot in Ferguson, Mo. in August. 

Every day since, protests have been carried out in the streets of Ferguson. About 600 UNC students joined the movement Tuesday with a protest in the Pit.

"You can yell all you want, but when you yell they call us rioters," said senior Mariah Monsanto, the organizer of the protest. "This organization in solidarity is going to scare people." 

The demonstration began with a walk-out of classes at noon. 

As students began to make their way to the Pit, Monsanto called on passersby and bystanders to join her cause.

"If you're not afraid of getting shot and your murderer getting away with it, ask yourself why," Monsanto said. "If it has anything to do with the pigmentation of your skin, then, please, stand with us."

Monsanto's opening rally gave way to several moments of silence for Michael Brown's family as students stood with their arms linked to honor the slain 18-year-old.

Sophomore Levincent Clark, Jr. tried to make Brown's story universal — calling on demonstrators to imagine having a niece or nephew shot in broad daylight. 

"It's about having a family member gunned down and not being able to do anything about it," said Clark, his voice raw.

Police monitored the entirety of the 30-minute protest, which remained peaceful. Leaders of the movement led students in a rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing." 

"If all these people in the Pit makes you uncomfortable, you need to wake up and get comfortable with being uncomfortable," Monsanto said to those passing the protest.

"It's really just that people don't care when it's one body, so we are here to show them many bodies."

The demonstration concluded with a "die-in" — where students laid down in the Pit for four and a half minutes to stand in further solidarity with Michael Brown's family.

"It's a play off Michael Brown's body being left in the street for four and a half hours," said Junior Parker Martin, who participated in Tuesday's protest. "It's just a slice of that." 

Junior Oluwole Thompson said he appreciated the imagery the die-in evoked. 

"That four and a half minutes seemed like an eternity," Thompson said. "You can just imagine your blood slipping out and your life slipping away."

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