A 90-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Was Arrested During A Ferguson Protest

"We need to stand up today so that people won’t have to do this when they’re 90."

Hedy Epstein, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor, was one of eight protesters arrested last night during a demonstration demanding that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon withdraw National Guard troops from the city of Ferguson.

Hedy Epstein, a 90 y.o. Holocaust survivor, was among the those arrested for blocking Nixon office bldg. #Ferguson

The rally was organised by Organization for Black Struggle after unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot dead by a police officer. The event was advertised on Facebook with this description:

At 3PM on Monday, August 18th, we are calling on Governor Nixon to meet with representatives from the Organization for Black Struggle. We also ask the people of St. Louis to rally at that time to demand a de-escalation of police violence. This meeting with Governor Nixon cannot wait. The lives of the people of Ferguson are at stake. Those who support a return to democratic values are urged to meet us at 3PM today at Kiener Plaza. We will then march to the governor's office, where our representatives will expect to meet with him. Effective policing does not need to include masses of military equipment, intimidation, and denial of constitutional rights.

According to a report by The Nation, Epstein was one of 125 protesters who marched to the entrance of Governor Nixon's office chanting, "Hey hey! Ho ho! National Guard has got to go!"

St. Louis police confirmed that she was one of those arrested for "failure to disperse."

Eight protestors were peacefully arrested for failure to disperse.

Epstein told The Nation: “I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager. I didn’t think I would have to do it when I was 90. We need to stand up today so that people won’t have to do this when they’re 90.”

90 year-old Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein arrested #Ferguson 4 speaking out against police brutality. @jaketapper

For the full report on the protests in Ferguson, read BuzzFeed's up-to-date live coverage.

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