Thousands Rally in D.C. to Urge Hate Crime Prosecution

[flashl]

March Motivated by 'Jena Six' Controversy

Marchers flooded Pennsylvania Avenue and surrounded the Justice Department headquarters this afternoon to protest what they see as a failure by the federal government to prosecute hate crimes.

At about 12:35 p.m., the group, led by the Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, began marching east along Pennsylvania Avenue, where they began to circle the Justice Department's massive building seven times in a gesture reminiscent of the biblical Joshua's procession around the walled city of Jericho. Marchers filled the streets around the building and between the Justice Department headquarters at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Freedom Plaza, three blocks away.

Organizers say they are motivated by the controversy over the prosecution of six black high school students in the beating of a white student in Jena, La., as well as a spurt of recent incidents in which nooses or swastikas were placed on display.

"With the increased amount of hate crimes and hate signs -- hanging nooses, swastikas -- that have gone on around this country unaddressed . . . this Justice Department has been silent, and absent . . . on the cases of civil rights in our times," Sharpton said when he outlined plans for the march last week.

In a statement, Justice Department said officials remain "deeply committed to the vigorous enforcement of our nation's civil rights laws" and said more people were convicted of civil rights violations last year than ever before in the agency's history.

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[Joe Fields]

1. In a statement from my department, "The Justice Department blows chunks."

[RavensChick]

2. Good for them!

I'm only sorry I was at work 'cause I would've been there too.

[Tim4319]

3. It's a real shame this did not get more coverage!!!!

However, Barry Bonds, and OJ Simpson cannot stay out of the news!