Dozens protest in Santa Rosa over Ferguson grand jury decision

The Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County held an evening rally Tuesday in downtown Santa Rosa to protest the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Mo., not to pursue criminal charges against a police officer who in August shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old man during a scuffle.

The grand jury’s decision, announced Monday night, not to indict Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, in the death of Michael Brown, who was black, led to rioting and fires being set in Ferguson, as well as 29 arrests.

There also were several other protests throughout the country, including in Oakland, where police arrested 40 people, according to news reports.

The Santa Rosa protest was tame. Dozens of people gathered in Old Courthouse Square at 5 p.m. They held candles and waved signs reading “Don’t Shoot” and “Film the Police.”

Santa Rosa resident Adam Kirshen stood on the corner of Third Street and Santa Rosa Avenue waving a sign on the sidewalk as passing cars honked. He said he attended the protest to oppose the “injustice against people of color” by law enforcement agencies and to stand in solidarity with those protesting against the Ferguson shooting.

“It touches a chord here with Andy Lopez and many others that have died,” he said. “We need to stand up and say we understand. We feel your pain (and) your loss.”

It was the first protest for 13-year-old Dominick Roman. The Santa Rosa resident stood on the sidewalk for more than an hour, holding a sign that read “Stand with Ferguson” as cars drove by and honked. “It gives me confidence that the people are behind me, supporting me,” he said.