Protesters step up demands for Ferguson indictment

More than 100 protesters marched through St. Louis late Nov. 23, stepping up pressure on a grand jury to indict a white police officer for shooting dead an unarmed black teenager.

Michael Brown, an 18-year-old high school graduate planning to go to technical college, was shot at least six times by Darren Wilson in the suburb of Ferguson on August 9, inflaming racial tensions.

The shooting sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests and a nationwide debate about police tactics, revived again with the death Nov. 23 of a 12-year-old boy shot by police while waving what turned out to be toy gun in Cleveland.

Sunday's demonstration in the Shaw neighborhood of St Louis was the largest of five consecutive nights of protests as the city braces for a decision expected by the end of the month from a grand jury on whether Wilson should be prosecuted.

"Hands up, don't shoot," and "This is what democracy looks like," chanted the crowd, banging drums and swaying to the rhythm of the words. "The whole damn system is guilty as hell."       

Holding placards saying "Black Lives Matter," men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds went on a nearly two-hour march, weaving through the traffic and holding up intersections but dispersing without incident.

Police were criticized for a heavy-handed response to the demonstrations in August. "I would like to see an indictment because I think it actually helps the community for this person to go to trial," said theology PhD student Alex Giltner, 31.,

"You've got social prejudice that is deeply ingrained in the people," he said. "What needs specifically to reform? Simply everything." Teacher Angela Kelly marched alongside her son.

"It's a good showing. We're 107 days...