Youth Turnout Fires Up New York Protest

Hands up walkout brings activists to the streetsMillions of protesters across the nation took to the streets yesterday in support of the “Hands Up Walk Out” campaign organized in response to the killing of Mike Brown and the decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who killed him in Ferguson, Missouri.In New York City, thousands of demonstrators, mainly high school and college students, gathered in Union Square at 12 pm Central Time, 1 pm EST, the time of Mike Brown’s murder. They marched, surrounded by hundreds of police officers, to Times Square.Youth turned out in drives, giving the demonstration in New York an energetic vibe. “I came here to spark the revolution,” said one teen. Times Square was saturated with signs with slogans such as “Ferguson is Everywhere.”Momentum from the “Hands Up Walk Out” demonstrations will only intensify as the verdict of the Eric Garner case looms. As the #blacklivesmatter movement continues, particularly on social media, Fergusonaction.org, acts as a virtual command center. The site has a list of future demonstrations occurring around the country so supporters can join in the action.The activity of the day in New York can be summed up in the words of one protester, impressed by the demographic of the crowd: “As I look around at all the young faces, you are the new generation that will not tolerate hate.”