Chicago archbishop: Violent Ferguson protests disrespect Michael Brown

Chicago archbishop: Ferguson "a tragedy all the way around"

Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich urged protesters in Ferguson, Missouri to remain peaceful during an interview set to air Sunday on "Face the Nation."

Demonstrations in Ferguson erupted on Monday after a grand jury announced its decision not to charge Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August. Though many protesters marched peacefully, others engaged in rioting and looting.

The incident, Cupich told CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, is "a tragedy all the way around for the family of Michael Brown, and I could hear the heartache in the voice of his father and family members who called for peace and tranquility. They want to respect this young man, and realize that violence will only disrespect him."

"It's a tragedy for the officer and his family, tragedy for the family of Michael Brown, tragedy for the city and all of its leaderships," Cupich added. "But if we can work together and listen to the voice of someone like the father of Michael Brown...who is asking people to really respect this young man in a peaceful way, I think we will be able to move forward."

Cupich said there is suffering "on all sides" of the story, and he said society needs to do a better job ensuring that law enforcement officials "conduct themselves in a proper way."

But he also spoke to the need to address the deeper social problems "that provide a context of unrest whenever tragedies like this happen."

You can watch O'Donnell's full interview with Archbishop Cupich Sunday on "Face the Nation."

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.