Audience members at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra interrupted its concert on Saturday night with a song of their own to protest Michael Brown’s death, according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Michael Brown was the unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Mo.
The protestors began singing the civil rights song “Which Side Are You On?” which was described as a “Requiem For Mike Brown” on Saturday following intermission at the Powell Symphony Hall, the Post-Dispatch reported. According to the paper, two members of the audience started singing and were joined by other protestors spread throughout the concert hall.
The protestors unfurled three hand-painted banners, which they reportedly hung from the balcony. The Post-Dispatch noted that one of the banners listed Brown’s date of birth and the date he was killed.
Video of the protest showed the orchestra went silent as the singing took place. Afterward, members of the orchestra and chorus applauded, as did some in the audience. According to the paper, the protestors scattered red paper hearts over the balcony before they filed out of the hall, chanting: “Black lives matter.”
Watch the video below, courtesy of The St. Louis American newspaper:
Such an eloquent, powerful, and entirely appropriate protest. I teared up watching. I am so pleased that many in the audience, both black and white, stood to join in the protest and even more applauded, including orchestra members. But the shocked look of some audience members in their evening finery showed how far this protest movement has to go.
Wow. That gave me the chills reading that. That was a great way to make a powerful protest
Yes it was.
The only people that seem to get this are Ferguson police officers and the racist right wing.
Kudos to conductor / orchestra to let the protest play out.
Any body notice the ‘chit-eating-grin’ man and his mouth-breather partner?