Power

The Ferguson ‘Weekend of Resistance’: A Lesson in the Complexity of Movements

Elon James White

Depending on who you ask about the success or effectiveness of the "weekend of resistance" in Ferguson, Missouri, October 10-13, you’ll get very different responses.

Depending on who you ask about the success or effectiveness of the "weekend of resistance" in Ferguson, Missouri, October 10-13, you’ll get very different responses. AJ+ / YouTube

Read more of our coverage related to recent events in Ferguson here.

Depending on who you ask about the success or effectiveness of the “weekend of resistance” in Ferguson, Missouri, October 10-13, you’ll get very different responses.

In the more than 60 days since the killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown, America has witnessed something foreign to its soil: The occupation by the police of a Missouri town in the aftermath of an all too familiar tragedy—a Black death at the hands of police officers—has brought together residents of communities across St. Louis and beyond to protest against this normalized injustice. But as the initial shock and outrage died down, and leaders arose from the ranks of the spontaneous collections of people who couldn’t bear the injustice, factions have formed. And as with all movements, opinions on the methods that might bring about change have been varied and conflicting.

For example, on Saturday night, a collection of groups and organizers marched to the Ferguson Police Department and occupied the square in front of the building, while police officers created a line that protesters were not allowed to cross. In the crowd, various chants erupted speaking against Brown’s murder, and calling out the racism of the officers in their engagement with the community and outside protesters alike. In the midst of this, a loudspeaker was turned on blaring music, and segments of the crowd raised their hands and danced in defiance of the police officers’ glares. Protest leaders took turns at the microphone leading chants and keeping the energy up among the youth in the crowd.

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This was not an action that everyone agreed with.

Some voiced frustration about what they considered to be an inappropriate response to the tragedies that have taken place in St. Louis, most recently the killing of Vonderrit Myers Jr. They looked at the actions in front of the Ferguson Police Department as largely performative and not a true call to action.

Later on that evening, protesters arranged a sit-in at a local Quik Trip, the same chain whose store was burned down in Ferguson, allegedly by “rioters,” in August. Seventeen people were arrested and others were pepper-sprayed in that act of civil disobedience. One of the leaders commented on this action:

This is a prime example of the differences in philosophies on the ground in St. Louis. There are arguments that can be made for and against both these actions, and the same is true for the entire weekend of resistance. I don’t think any individual action is beyond critique, nor should be completely condemned.

Some protesters wanted more direct civil disobedience actions, which may not have been possible. Some felt uncomfortable by the role outsiders played in a movement that was grown from the bottom up by those living in the very space where the police have been using their now well-known aggressive and violent tactics.

But that isn’t to say that what did occur was of no use, or was utterly game-changing. What it means is this movement, like any other movement, with so many different people involved, will have differing opinions.

To critique these differences would be to ignore the history of movements and human beings in general. Injustice doesn’t come with a manual that tells the victimized how to get their abusers not to abuse. For those observing the events and actions in St. Louis, it’s too easy to dismiss, critique, or even blame those on the front lines who are fighting for justice in many different ways.

As the countdown continues to the grand jury’s decision about whether to indict Officer Darren Wilson, there will be more actions and more disagreements. But the one thing that can be agreed on across the movement is this: Black lives matter. People are committing their lives to making sure this is understood and that tragedies like the death of Mike Brown won’t have to be endured by yet another generation.