Hundreds of people have attended
the funeral for the black teenager
killed by police in Ferguson,
Missouri. Mourners at the Friendly Temple Baptist Church in St Louis sang, prayed
and remembered the life of Michael
Brown.
Mr Brown, 18, who was unarmed, was
killed on 9 August after being stopped
by a white police officer for walking in
the middle of the street.
His death sparked days of protests and
violent clashes, but tensions appear to
have eased in recent days.
Two poster-sized photos of Mr Brown
were placed inside the church near the
casket, along with another photo of him
as a small child.
Those in the church sang, clapped and
danced to gospel music before the
service started.

"Senseless killing"
Mr Brown's family addressed mourners,
describing Michael as a gentle soul.
His cousin, Eric Davis, said his
generation had stood up to what had
happened in Ferguson.

Michael Brown's family said his
generation were standing up to the
violence they faced.

Mourners say they want to support the
family of shot teenager Michael Brown
"We have had enough. We have had
enough of having our brothers and
sisters killed in the streets," he said.
"Hear our voice. We have had enough of
this senseless killing."
Addressing the mourners, civil rights
leader Rev Al Sharpton said people had
a right to protest without police
intimidation.
"America is going to have to come to
terms when there's something wrong,
that we have money to give military
equipment to police forces, when we
don't have money for training and
money for public education," he said.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon did not
attend, while President Barack Obama
sent three White House aides to
represent him.

"There will be an uprising"

The mood outside the church was
peaceful and sombre, said BBC
correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan, in
St Louis.
"We don't know the Brown family but
our hearts empathise with them for
their loss and the senseless violence,"
one mourner told the BBC.
But there is still anger in Ferguson,
which has a majority black population,
after the shooting by police officer
Darren Wilson - who is currently
suspended on full pay.
"If Darren Wilson is not charged, there
will be an uprising," another mourner
said.
A grand jury panel of residents has
begun hearing evidence in the case,
though the country prosecutor has said
the process could take until October.
Many residents have demanded that
Officer Wilson should be arrested and
prosecuted.
Witnesses have said Mr Brown was shot
as he held his hands up in a position of
surrender, while the police and
supporters of Mr Wilson have said he
fired during a fight with Mr Brown.
The response by the authorities, who
flooded the town with hundreds of
officers in riot gear and brought in the
national guard, has been criticised as
heavy-handed.
The authorities were also criticised for
not being transparent enough in the
immediate aftermath of the shooting,
when they refused to name the police
officer involved.
However, police also say the protests
were inflamed by agitators who
travelled to Ferguson from elsewhere,
and that they responded to threats made
against them and the firing of weapons
from the crowd.
Ahead of the funeral, Michael Brown's
father made a plea his plea for calm. He
said on Sunday: "Tomorrow all I want is
peace."

Michael Brown's parents (far left and
right) have called for calm and no return
to the violence that marked the days
after their son's death

More pictures

POLICE! uniform bad bwoys. .. Busy signal.

Sad. But justice should be served. That kid was killed as though he was sentenced to death by a firing squad.

Racism at it's peak!