After months of waiting, protesting – both violent and peaceful – and petitions, the people of Ferguson, Missouri and the world finally received the grand jury decision they anticipated for months.

On Monday, November 24th, the grand jury chose not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown. After CNN released the verdict around 9 PM, protesters began marching and, eventually, lashing out. The Brown family released a statement soon after the verdict, saying, “We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions.”
They also asked the community to “… please keep your protests peaceful.”

Despite the Brown family’s request to keep the protests peaceful, groups of protesters could not bottle up their disappointment and anger. According to Yamiche Alcindor, Greg Toppo, Gary Strauss and John Bacon from USA Today News, police dispersed crowds with tear gas, pepper spray, and bean bags. Looters ransacked a Walgreens, Family Dollar, and an Autozone outlet. Other protesters set fire to a Little Caesars restaurant and a local beauty store. Two police cars were also reported to be burned.

In the three weeks since the announcement, the issue has not died down like many thought it would. Protests have spread throughout the nation, including in Oakland, California, where people made chalk lines in the street and laid there as if they were dead bodies.

Godsee Joy, an 11th grader, states, “I don’t think people against the grand jury’s decision have any grounds to argue. The jury are the only ones who saw and heard all the evidence….”

Twelfth grader Daisa Harris does not agree with Joy and feels angry towards the verdict and believes it’s unfair. “I think the Ferguson verdict was bad because, if it was a black cop, he would be in jail. We need justice in America,” says Harris.