A number of Houston community organizations are planning a rally in MacGregor Park at 5 p.m. today, in response to a Ferguson, Mo., grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown back in August.
Officials in and around Greater Houston are calling for peaceful protest. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents much of the city of Houston, said in a statement last night that âwe know that the voices of the people must be heard, but we should adhere to the message of nonviolence and change through the legal process.â She went on to say âI continue to plead for peaceful protest across the country.â
On Monday, the Harris County Sheriffâs office stated that their office, âin partnership with the Houston Police Department, and Houston-area pastors, reminds the public that their right to peacefully assemble will be respected,â and that they will âwork jointly to make sure that the safety of everyone remains a priority.â
The hope is that Houston, like other cities nationwide, will see protests that are more peaceful than what transpired late last night and overnight in Ferguson itself, where violence and looting led to significant property damage and dozens of arrests.
We review some of the larger issues raised by events in Ferguson.
