'No Justice, No Profit': Pastor calls for Black Friday boycott in Ferguson protest

A pastor in Missouri is among those calling for a boycott of the Black Friday Sales as part of ongoing protests over the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown.

The Justice for Michael Brown Leadership Coalition is asking people to join its 'No Justice, No Profit' campaign. Protesters will walk through shopping malls in silence, holding signs and praying, but not spending any money on what has become one of the biggest shopping days in the US.

Black Friday signals the start of pre-Christmas sales, and retailers offer huge discounts to kick-start the festive period.

Rev Spencer Lamar Booker, of St Paul AME Church, an African Methodist Episcopal Church in St Louis, described Brown's death as "groundless" and "senseless".

"It was a miscarriage of Mr Darren Wilson's legal duty to serve and protect," he said during a news conference to promote the boycott.

"No matter how convoluting his and others' attempts to make a legal argument, an illegal act was committed called murder."

A flyer being circulated in Ferguson urges people to get behind the boycott, quoting Martin Luther King Jr: "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

New Black Panther Party representative Dacia Polk urged supporters to "withdraw your participation the entire weekend".

"There will not be business as usual in America while our people are being killed," she said.

Violence flared again in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson today, after it was announced that officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted for the fatal shooting on August 9.

18-year-old Brown was killed while apparently walking unarmed. His death triggered weeks of protests, and accusations of racism among the local police force, as well as across America.

The Grand Jury's decision not to indict Wilson was met with fury and tear gas was fired by police at protestors as they took to the streets.

A statement released today by Samuel Rodriguez, the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, called for reconciliation between fractured groups.

"The single antidote that will truly alleviate the tension and angst in Ferguson, Missouri resides in the peace that only Christ can render. The prophetic and conciliatory concept of "Shalom" – a peace where nothing stands missing or broken – presents the prescription for a community divided by race and fear," he said.

"In the wake of the long-awaited decision by a St Louis County grand jury, we pray for peace. We plead for reconciliation. We yearn for all parties to recognize that both Michael Brown and Officer Darren Wilson represent individuals created in the image of God. In the name of Jesus, we call upon the God that heals to enable truth, love, justice and forgiveness to silence the voices of hatred, division, strife and violence."

Churches in St. Louis have offered themselves up as places of sanctuary during the unrest. "The decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will further divide our communities and saddens us as leaders of nearly three dozen of our region's congregations, faith and ethical communities," a statement from Rev Dietra Wise-Baker, co-chair of the MCU Clergy Caucus, read.

"Frustrated youth and law enforcement officials worship together within our doors. Our Clergy Caucus is called to consecrate the streets of St. Louis as safe places for all our citizens, and in particular our black and brown children and brothers and sisters.

"We are called to discern and name all systems, institutions, and processes that dehumanize black and brown people and that distort the purposes of justice, peace, and equality that we believe God intends for this region...Over the next week, we will aid in de-escalation when needed and support protesters in a peaceful, non-violent display of dissatisfaction with the verdict."

Though opinions are divided, many Christians have expressed their anger at the Grand Jury's verdict on social media.

In response to the Ferguson riots, Shane Claiborne has championed non-violent protest, insisting that it is the only way to guarantee "genuine, lasting change".

He has also labelled Ferguson "a mirror to the country" and called for "this moment to become a movement".

Last night, he posted this image on Twitter, urging people to join with Brown's parents in a moment of silence for their son. The Browns have repeated their call for peace in the wake of the Grand Jury's decision.

""Let's not make noise, let's make a difference," the family has said.