'Hands Up' by the St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams players doing the 'hands up, don't shoot' gesture
prior to their game against the Raiders this past Sunday

Throughout the nation, attention is being brought to the supposed unjust and unnecessary use of force by police officers on black people. This has been a common issue for years, and now it seems the issue has reached a climax. The Ferguson case about the death of 18-year-old Mike Brown, a black man, on august 9th has become a cause for riots and protest everywhere in the US. Brown was shot by 28-year-old Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson police officer. Brown is said to have charged Wilson after a confrontation, thus causing Wilson to fire off several shots at Brown. Brown was shot dead by Wilson in the street. The case was found by a grand jury to not have enough evidence against Wilson to indict him.

Riots erupted throughout Missouri by citizens to show their disapproval of the grad jury's ruling. Violent marches, fires, and other forms of rebellious protest began across Missouri and other states. A common gesture throughout the protest of this case has been the 'hands up, don't shoot' sign by protesters. This sign is demonstrated by protesters raising both hands up to their head like police normally ask criminals to do. This sign shows the protesters' hatred toward how the police handle a situation when they are looking to arrest a black person. It is a very sarcastic sign, and the police find it very disrespectful.

A very infamous use of this gesture was used this past Sunday at a St. Louis Rams football game. Five players from the St. Louis Rams walked out of the tunnel just prior to the start of the game using the 'hands up, don't shoot' gesture. The players held the gesture up another time later in the game after the Rams' running back scored a touchdown. The gesture was used as the players' celebration. The Rams and NFL are not fining the players for the gesture, but St. Louis police are asking for a public apology and reprimand to the players by the NFL.