In Texas, blacks are protesting police violence in a particularly Southwestern way: By invoking their right to open carry. On Wednesday, more than 30 members of the newly-formed Huey P. Newton Gun Club gathered to march through South Dallas with rifles, shotguns, and AR-15s. The group eventually entered a restaurant with their weapons while Dallas police officers were inside eating lunch.





Note that the only Dallas cop indicted for killing an unarmed civilian was a case with surveillance footage available. More and more, we’re seeing why dashcam and body cameras for cops are so crucial. Just yesterday, a 25-year-old man was gunned down by police in St. Louis. The cops said Kajieme Powell, who had just stolen two energy drinks from a convenience store and was now pacing out front talking to himself, was coming at them with a knife raised when they shot in self-defense. A cell-phone video released today shows otherwise. It shows two St. Louis officers barely stopping their car before they open fire on a man with his arms seemingly at his side.

“We demand the immediate end to police brutality, harassment, and murder of the people,” says the Huey P. Newton Gun Club website. “We assert the right of the people, particularly those of color, to bear arms and protect themselves where local, state, and the federal government have historically failed to do so.”

The hashtag #BlackOpenCarry has been lighting up Twitter tonight. Some photos, tweets, and video:




Shaun Rabb/TwitterShaun Rabb/Twitter

Update: 01/05/2015
In light of recent episodes of police brutality, the open carry is now stronger than ever.