National moment of silence

National moment of silence Live

The hashtag #NMOS14 has been gaining speed on Twitter. The tag stands for "National Moment of Silence" and is intended to honor victims of police brutality, according to people who have been using it. Twitter users are using the hashtag in tweets to plan gatherings and rallies. (Hashtags are used in tweets to create easily searchable words or phrases.)

The moment of silence vigil will start at 6 p.m., according to a Facebook page for the event.

Update Thursday:


A permit for a gathering at Luther Ely Smith Square, between the main Arch grounds and the Old Courthouse, has been issued, said a representative with the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.



@TheMegaChloe is Chloe Ward, a Central West End resident. She said she saw the #NOMS14 movement on Twitter and decided she could organize a St. Louis vigil. 
"We've stressed the point that this is a vigil ... a time to mourn losses," Ward said in a phone interview Thursday morning. The vigil is about "morning more than just Michael Brown," she said. "We're not just upset, we're hurt, we're afraid, we're in pain." 



St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay's Director of Communications Maggie Crane said, "We are expecting them, we welcome the vigil." 

Update Monday:






Previously on Sunday:





The event has 23 people who said they will go about an hour after the event invitation was created on Facebook.




Plans for the moment of silence are being discussed in cities across the country:

Austin:

Chicago:


Oakland:

Philadelphia:

Seattle

Columbus:

Twitter user @FeministaJones wrote, about noon central time:

Are people comfortable with gathering in their cities, in a national show of solidarity, at the same time on the same day?

How many of you would be interested in a National Moment of Silence for recent victims of police brutality?

National Moment of Silence = #NMOS14 Thursday, 8/14 7pmEST/4pm PT ppl around the country gather in smaller vigils and observe moment


In an email interview Sunday, @FeministaJones said she lives in New York City (she declined to give her real name, saying she has been threatened in the past). She said she heard about MIchael Brown's death over Twitter, and used the hashtag today to "put out a call for us to gather in each city across the U.S. for a peaceful vigil" after the killing of Mike Brown, Eric Garner in New York City, and "countless others who face police brutality around the country." 

She wrote: "We need to center ourselves. Right now, there is a lot of anger and frustration and feelings of helplessness. We should take a moment to remember those who have died, uplift those who still live with the effects of the trauma of police brutality, show solidarity with all families affected, and connect across the country in one moment.

She said in the few hours since she started tweeting with the hashtag, events have been planned in 10 to 15 cities. She said she's encouraging each city "to own it for themselves," and organize at local levels.

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