Thousands march on CNN to denounce its Ferguson coverage

Atlanta — The crowd had been organized by college and high school students. Estimated by the Atlanta police at 5,000, they gathered at CNN on Aug. 18 to denounce its scurrilous news coverage of the killing of Mike Brown by a Ferguson cop — with sensationalized images of “violent” protesters in the face of heavily militarized police forces and repeated character assassination of the dead youth.

The marchers filled Marietta Street, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot” as traffic was forced to stop. Many drivers and their passengers echoed the chant, thrusting their hands out the windows.

The huge march brought workers and customers out of restaurants and shops and apartment dwellers onto their balconies to take pictures and join in the calls for justice .

As the crowd approached the recently opened Center for Human and Civil Rights, a drenching thunderstorm dropped a torrent of rain on the demonstrators.

It did not deter them. Youth, parents with small children and people of all ages continued chanting, “No justice, no peace, no racist police,” as they made their way to the rally’s starting point.

The thousands occupied the main entrance, where “CNN” looms in huge red letters over a bank of doors. The crowd extended midway down the block and across the street for the closing rally.

Thousands of fists held high dramatically enforced their demand for an indictment of all killer cops and an end to police terror in their communities.

Palestinian activists and supporters marched with a banner that read, “From Gaza to Ferguson, resistance to occupation is justified.” Dozens and dozens of students and youth wanted to have their pictures taken with that sentiment, and expressed their appreciation for the solidarity from the besieged people of Gaza to their struggle against police violence.