 Thousands of people are expected to attend the rally in Jena |
Hundreds of civil rights protesters are marching through the small
US town of Jena in Louisiana against what they say is continuing racism
in the state.
The march has been organised in support of six black
teenagers, who were initially charged with attempted murder after the
beating of a white classmate.
All but one of the six have since had their charges reduced to assault.
The alleged attack followed a series of racial incidents between pupils, which began at Jena High School last summer.
You can't have two standards of justice. We didn't bring race in it, those that hung the nooses brought the race into it
Hundreds of activists dressed in black are converging on Jena, with many arriving by bus. Hundreds more are expected.
Speaking ahead of the march, civil rights campaigner Rev
Al Sharpton said: "This is the most blatant example of disparity in the
justice system that we've seen.
"You can't have two standards of justice. We didn't bring race in it, those that hung the nooses brought the race into it."
District attorney Reed Walters said on Wednesday: "It is
not and never has been about race. It is about finding justice for an
innocent victim and holding people accountable for their actions."
Dangling nooses
The white teenage victim was beaten unconscious and had
a badly swollen face, but was able to attend a school event the same
evening.
One of the accused, Mychal Bell, was found guilty of
second degree battery in June by an all-white jury before the case was
overturned by an appeal court.
The court said Mr Bell, 16 at the time of the alleged incident in December 2006, should not have been tried as an adult.
Five others who face reduced charges of assault have yet to be tried.
A string of incidents between pupils had began the previous summer.
At that time, a black student had asked the school's
principal whether he was permitted to sit under the shade of the school
courtyard tree, where white students traditionally congregated. He was
told he could sit where he liked.
The following morning, when the students arrived at school, they found three nooses dangling from the tree.
The school's head recommended the noose-hangers be
expelled, but the governing board overruled him and the three white
student perpetrators were briefly suspended.
Mr Walters said the white students were not prosecuted because he could find no state law under which to charge them.
BBC News
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