“This lawsuit sends a strong message that discrimination and other abuses by the Ferguson Police Department will not be tolerated,” said Jamira Burley, senior campaigner with Amnesty International USA. “But Ferguson is just one of many cities throughout the country where there is tension between the police and the people they are sworn to protect. The federal government must establish a National Crime and Justice Task Force to review all aspects of the criminal justice system and bring about comprehensive reform.”
Last year, Amnesty International USA released a report on the response to the protests in Ferguson, as well as a report on lethal force by police.