USA: Father of shot black teen Michael Brown urges calm for funeral
- 10 years ago
The funeral takes place on Monday of the black 18-year-old whose death at the hands of a white police officer sparked protests in the US state of Missouri.
Tensions have eased in Ferguson where rioting erupted two weeks ago after unarmed Michael Brown was shot dead.
But amid fears that unrest could be triggered by Monday’s service, to be attended by aides of President Obama, the slain teenager’s father called for calm.
“Tomorrow, all I want is peace while my son is laid to rest,” Michael Brown Sr told a peace festival in St. Louis.
“Please, please, I’d like a day of silence so we can lay our son to rest,” he said.
The killing has drawn global attention to race relations in the US where the MTV Video Music Awards paid its own tribute.
On stage in Inglewood, California, rapper Common said: “I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike Brown and for peace in this country in and the world.”
Tensions have eased in Ferguson where rioting erupted two weeks ago after unarmed Michael Brown was shot dead.
But amid fears that unrest could be triggered by Monday’s service, to be attended by aides of President Obama, the slain teenager’s father called for calm.
“Tomorrow, all I want is peace while my son is laid to rest,” Michael Brown Sr told a peace festival in St. Louis.
“Please, please, I’d like a day of silence so we can lay our son to rest,” he said.
The killing has drawn global attention to race relations in the US where the MTV Video Music Awards paid its own tribute.
On stage in Inglewood, California, rapper Common said: “I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike Brown and for peace in this country in and the world.”