People Walk Out Of Work, School in Ferguson Protests
— -- Protesters across the country walked out of jobs or school today to honor Michael Brown, the unarmed teenager killed this summer by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
Many of the walkouts happened at 12:01 p.m. CT, the exact time Brown was shot on Aug. 9. The movement gained steam on social media with the hashtag #HandsUpWalkOut, and organized protests happened in dozens of cities.
At universities from New York to Los Angeles, students marched holding signs saying "Black Lives Matter" and demanding "justice" for Brown.
In some parts of the country, the protesters even included middle school students.
Writer Shaun King told ABC News his 12-year-old daughter walked out during her lunch period at her Orange County, California middle school to join the protest.
"She had gotten an email from her Harry Potter Hogwarts club saying they were going to cancel their lunch meeting so they could do this walkout together," he said, noting that his daughter, Kendi, had already expressed interest in participating.
"It was something she wanted to do," he added. "And something her peers wanted to do. It was clear they were affected by Michael Brown's death and what they believe was an injustice. It's powerful to see them thinking for themselves. I'm really proud of her and kids all over the country who have taken these actions."
The protests come one week after a grand jury cleared police officer Darren Wilson of any charges in Brown's death.
