It has been 101 days since the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, and protesters continue to call for justice.
About 50 protesters gathered Monday in Clayton for the “Carnival of Injustice,” a theatrical protest that organizer Elizabeth Vega hoped would engage people in activist satire and start a dialogue.
"You know the tension is palpable," Vega said. "This is the carnival of injustice, so if we don't laugh we'll cry."
Some members of the protest carried shields with the images of black men painted on them, while others carried a banner that read “Injustice Freak Show.”
Stephen Houldsworth, a member of the protest, walked ahead of the main group and sarcastically warned onlookers about the oncoming group.
His act was part of the larger themed demonstration, which also included a wailing woman and fortune tellers.
Dhoruba Shakur said this demonstration was important because it showed the protesters will not just give up and go away because the weather has gotten cold.
“We’re going to continue to fight for justice for Mike Brown and for pretty much breaking down white supremacy,” Shakur said. “This is us showing that we are willing to be out here through the elements and we’re here for the long haul.”
Rachel Gilmer, a protester from New York who has come to St. Louis several times since the shooting death of Michael Brown in August, said the protests need to extend beyond St. Louis.
She said protests like today's are important because they show that protesters are not “villainous” and that this issue is not just about black versus white.
“This is about a multiracial group of people fighting for what is right and wrong,” Gilmer said.
The protest did disrupt traffic in Clayton, as several intersections were blocked. Police were nearby, but did not attempt to remove demonstrators from the blocked roadways.
