Bloody Sunday families to hold Michael Brown solidarity vigil

The announcement on Tuesday that the police officer who fired the fatal shots is not to face charges sparked angry demonstrations across the US.

The vigil, at 2.30pm, has been called by the Bloody Sunday March Committee, while includes some of the families of the victims of the Londonderry massacre.

Said one of the organiser’s, Kate Nash, yesterday: “The parallels between Ferguson and Derry are obvious - ordinary unarmed people, mainly young men, shot down by the forces of the State as they went about their peaceful business, and their families then abandoned by the law. We want to send our good wishes and solidarity to Michael’s family and the people of Ferguson and let them know that many around the world are thinking of them and speaking up for them.

“The Bloody Sunday families have been campaigning for 43 years to have the killers of our loved ones brought to justice, and our campaign is unfortunately far from over. “We hope and pray that the Brown family do not have so long a struggle before them – or any of the families the others, mostly African Americans, killed by racist police in the US in recent years.

“We should remember, too, that the slogan on Free Derry Wall was first written up in solidarity with young people fighting against oppression in the US. The connection is there, and we want to put it to practical use at this time.

“We ask as many Derry people as possible to attend at 2.30pm. We want to be able to send the Brown family pictures of solidarity from our town to theirs.”