GAY GROUPS CONDEMN LACK OF INDICTMENT FOR MICHAEL BROWN KILLING

LGBTI rights groups have condemned the lack of indictment in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.

A St Louis grand jury has not charged police officer Darren Wilson for shooting the unarmed 18-year-old black man in Ferguson, Missouri three months ago.

The case sparked outrage in majority-black Ferguson and heightened longstanding tensions with the majority-white police force.

The National LGBTQ Task Force (NLTF) described the decision not to indict Wilson as 'shocking and painful for millions.'

'Anyone who takes someone's life must be brought to justice. We cannot allow the murders of young Black men such as Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin to continue,' said Reverend Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director of NLTF.

Lambda Legal (LL) called for justice for the victims of police violence.

'We mourn Michael Brown and every victim of police violence by continuing to work for justice — for better policing and fairer laws,' said Jael Humphrey and Beverly Tillery, strategists for LL's criminal justice and police misconduct program.

'As an organization fighting for the rights of LGBT people and people living with HIV, we know that bias and prejudice can lead to injustice.'

The Gay Straight Alliance Network (GSA) said the verdict sent the message that the lives, bodies and communities of black youths were 'expendable and that we are not worthy of basic compassion and justice.'

'As LGBTQ and allied youth leaders in the national GSA movement, we will continue to actively speak out and fight against the systems and the injustices that threaten our safety, education and ability to thrive.

'The modern LGBTQ movement was started by a group of queer and trans people, white people and people of color, who refused to allow police violence to control their lives any longer.'

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) expressed 'deep disappointment' in the grand jury's failure to bring the case to trial.

'Michael Brown’s family and the American people deserve to have this case fully adjudicated in a public trial. Today’s deeply disappointing decision by the grand jury denies them that opportunity,' said HRC President Chad Griffin.

'As advocates for equality, it’s our job to show solidarity with a growing national movement to break this cycle of police violence.'

In August, dozens of LGBTI groups signed an open letter of solidarity with Brown's family:

'The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community cannot be silent at this moment, because LGBT people come from all races, creeds, faiths and backgrounds, and because all movements of equality are deeply connected. We are all part of the fabric of this nation and the promise of liberty and justice for all is yet to be fulfilled.'

SOURCE: GAY STAR NEWS