In Ferguson, Missouri, over the past several days, the protests in response to reported police brutality in the death of Michael Brown has swelled. Michael Brown was shot by a police officer on August 9, reportedly due to failure to not walk in the street. His body was left in the street for hours.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands for our consistent universal human rights, dignity, and security, around the world, including in the United States. We reject the use of authoritarian groups and military measures to oppress, harass, and persecute any identity group, including human rights violations against African-Americans in the United States of America. Our universal human rights must apply equally around the world, including in American cities.

By the next day, Sunday, August 10, the area police had assembled 150 officers in riot gear. The show of military type force had the opposite affect on protesters, rather than restoring calm, it instead promoted violence, including police violence, people confronting police, looting and vandalism. This led to more riots on the night of August 10.

On Monday, August 11, policed fired tear gas and rubber bullets outside a burned convenience store which had been set on fire on August 10. The police also fired gas and rounds on protesters, including state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal.

Additional protests have taken place this week, with protesters carrying signs and many held their hands in the air while shouting “don’t shoot!”

This included another violent clash on the night of Wednesday, August 13, where police also arrested news journalists. CNN reported one police officer calling protesters “f**king animals” during his “enforcement” of the law. Also arrested on Wednesday August 13, was St. Louis alderman Antonio French, who was protesting with the group.

The militarization of the police is a troubling issue, and the American people must ask our police what law are they enforcing, if the authority we grant our police violates our Constitution and our universal human rights.

We must all be responsible for equality and liberty.