# Hands Up Dont Shoot
> Hands Up, Don't Shoot is a 2014 protest slogan and raised-hands gesture from Michael Brown's fatal Ferguson shooting, symbolizing surrender and becoming a defining Black Lives Matter symbol.
"Hands Up, Don't Shoot" is a protest slogan and gesture that emerged from the August 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Born from eyewitness Dorian Johnson's account that Brown had raised his hands in surrender before being killed by Officer Darren Wilson, the phrase was adopted by street protesters and quickly spread across social media through hashtags like #HandsUpDontShoot[1]. The slogan became one of the defining symbols of the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked fierce debate after a 2015 Department of Justice report found no credible evidence that Brown had his hands up in surrender[7].
## Origin
On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri[5]. Brown's friend Dorian Johnson, who was present during the encounter, told media outlets that Brown had turned around with his hands raised and said, "I don't have a gun, stop shooting!"[8]. This account, broadcast widely in the hours after the shooting, became the factual basis for the slogan.
Brown's body lay in the street for more than four hours as residents gathered[8]. The grief and anger at the scene drew on years of racial tension and perceived police misconduct in Ferguson[7]. According to Tory Russell, co-founder of the activist group Hands Up United, a local activist named Brother Anthony Shahid was at the scene as more police arrived with dogs and weapons. Shahid said, "My hands are up; don't shoot me," and he and others began to chant[3]. The gesture and phrase fused together into a single slogan by Monday, August 11, when media first documented the combined form "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" during demonstrations[9].
Within days, protesters had taken the cause to social media, tweeting with the hashtags #handsupdontshoot, #handsup, and #JusticeForMikeBrown[1]. Images of crowds with raised hands became some of the most striking visuals of the unrest.
- **Platform:** Ferguson, Missouri street protests (origin), Twitter (viral spread)
- **Creator:** Dorian Johnson (eyewitness account), Brother Anthony Shahid (first known chant leader), Tory Russell / Hands Up United (protest organizers)
- **Date:** 2014
## Overview
"Hands Up, Don't Shoot" combines a physical gesture (raising both hands above the head in a pose of surrender) with a verbal chant. The gesture mimics what witnesses initially claimed Michael Brown did moments before he was fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer on August 9, 2014[1]. As a meme format, it moved beyond its original context to become a broad symbol of protest against police violence toward Black Americans. People at demonstrations, athletes on national television, and members of Congress on the House floor all performed the gesture as an act of solidarity[2][4].
The phrase works on two levels. Literally, it describes a person surrendering to police while asking not to be shot. Symbolically, it represents a larger argument that Black Americans face lethal force even when compliant or unarmed[11]. This dual meaning is what gave it such power and such controversy.
## How It Spread
Throughout August 2014, "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" appeared in headlines across national news outlets covering the growing protests[4]. On August 13, USA Today published photographs of Ferguson protesters with arms raised, describing how the surrender sign had become a symbol of the movement[1]. Two days later, Fast Company ran an article titled "'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' and the Growing Power of Protest Memes," comparing the gesture to earlier protest imagery like the hoodies worn after Trayvon Martin's death[4].
The Reverend Al Sharpton invoked the phrase at a rally near the courthouse in Clayton, Missouri, telling the crowd: "When their hands are up, you don't shoot. If you're angry, throw your arms up. If you want justice, throw your arms up"[1].
On November 24, 2014, a St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict Darren Wilson, setting off a new wave of protests[5]. Six days later, on November 30, five St. Louis Rams players (Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, Jared Cook, and Chris Givens) entered the field before their game against the Oakland Raiders with their hands raised[2]. The gesture instantly dominated the sports news cycle. The St. Louis Police Officers Association called it "tasteless, offensive and inflammatory" and demanded the players be disciplined[6]. The NFL refused, with spokesman Brian McCarthy stating the league would not punish the athletes[10]. Wide receiver Stedman Bailey told reporters: "Violence should stop. There's a lot of violence going on here in St. Louis. We definitely hear about it all, and we just want it to stop"[10].
A dispute then erupted over whether the Rams had apologized. Rams executive Kevin Demoff contacted police officials and said he "regretted any offense their officers may have taken," but denied issuing an apology[13]. St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar told his staff he "believed it to be an apology," a claim the Rams formally denied[13].
On December 1, 2014, several Democratic members of Congress, including New York's Hakeem Jeffries and Yvette Clarke and Texas' Al Green, performed the gesture on the House floor[4]. That same day, walkout protests spread to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and college campuses across the country[2].
## How to Use
"Hands Up, Don't Shoot" is typically used as a protest chant and physical gesture rather than a traditional image macro. People raise both hands above their heads (palms out, fingers spread) while chanting the phrase. This is done at demonstrations, marches, vigils, or anywhere someone wants to signal solidarity with movements against police violence[1].
Online, the phrase appears as a hashtag (#HandsUpDontShoot or #HandsUp), usually accompanying images or videos of protests, or in response to news of police shootings of unarmed people[1]. Photos of groups doing the gesture are often shared with the hashtag or the text overlaid.
Athletes and public figures have used it as a pregame or public-appearance gesture, entering a visible space with hands raised to make a political statement without saying a word[2].
## Cultural Impact
The slogan crossed from street protest into nearly every layer of American public life. Five NFL players performing the gesture before a nationally televised game turned it into a sports controversy and free-speech flashpoint[6]. The St. Louis Police Officers Association's demand for punishment, and the NFL's refusal to comply, played out over days of headlines[10][13].
Members of Congress brought it to the House floor on December 1, 2014, with Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clarke, and Al Green raising their hands during proceedings[4]. The White House responded to the broader Ferguson crisis by announcing a review of police equipment programs and pushing for more officers to wear body cameras[2].
The activist group Hands Up United, based in Ferguson and formed in the wake of Brown's death, became a permanent police watchdog organization focused on racial and economic justice[14]. Fast Company highlighted the phrase as part of a growing trend of "protest memes" that leverage visual media and social sharing for political organizing[4].
The phrase returned with force during the 2020 George Floyd protests, chanted at the White House, in Oakland, Columbus, and Detroit[3]. Its use in the Terence Crutcher case in 2016, where video actually showed an unarmed man with hands raised being shot, gave the slogan a real-world example that matched its literal meaning[11].
## Fun Facts
- The earliest known use of "Hands up" as a protest chant predates Ferguson. During 2009 student protests in London, demonstrators trapped by riot police on Westminster Bridge raised their hands and shouted "Hands up" to show they weren't provoking the police[9].
- John Carlos, the 1968 Olympic black power salute athlete, publicly defended the Rams players' right to make the gesture, drawing a direct line between the two acts of protest across four decades[2].
- The Rams never formally apologized for their players' gesture, despite St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar telling his staff that Rams executive Kevin Demoff had apologized. Demoff told ESPN and CNN he had never used the word "apologize"[13].
- Rams head coach Jeff Fisher described the gesture as a "choice to exercise their free speech" and said no players would be disciplined, but declined to answer further questions, saying "I'm a head coach. I'm not a politician, an activist, or an expert on societal issues"[10].
- Dorian Johnson, whose eyewitness account gave rise to the phrase, was himself shot and killed in Ferguson on September 7, 2025, in what police described as a domestic incident[12].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is "Hands Up, Don't Shoot"?
"Hands Up, Don't Shoot" is a protest slogan and gesture originating from the August 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. It involves raising both hands in surrender while chanting the phrase, symbolizing protest against police violence toward Black Americans[1].
### Where did "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" come from?
The slogan came from eyewitness Dorian Johnson's account that Michael Brown had his hands raised in surrender when shot by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. Local activist Brother Anthony Shahid is credited with first leading the chant at the scene, and the group Hands Up United helped spread it[3].
### What does "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" mean?
Literally, it describes an unarmed person surrendering to police and asking not to be shot. Symbolically, it represents the broader argument that Black Americans face deadly force even when compliant or unarmed[11].
### How do you use "Hands Up, Don't Shoot"?
People raise both hands above their heads with palms out while chanting the phrase at protests and demonstrations. Online, it's used as a hashtag (#HandsUpDontShoot) with images of protests or in response to police shooting incidents[1].
### Is "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" still popular?
The phrase is a recognized classic of American protest culture. It was widely used during the 2020 George Floyd protests across major US cities[3], and it gets revived whenever high-profile police shootings occur, as seen with the Terence Crutcher case in 2016[11].
### Did Michael Brown actually have his hands up?
The March 2015 Department of Justice report found no credible evidence supporting the claim that Brown had his hands up in surrender. Several witnesses who initially made the claim later recanted, and forensic evidence was inconsistent with the hands-up account[7].
### What did the DOJ find about the Ferguson shooting?
The DOJ released two reports in March 2015. One cleared Officer Wilson of civil rights violations, finding credible witnesses and forensic evidence supported his account of self-defense[7]. The other documented systemic racism and abuse within the Ferguson police department and municipal government[7].
### Why did the St. Louis Rams do the "hands up" gesture?
Five Rams players made the gesture before a game on November 30, 2014, to show solidarity with Ferguson protesters. Tight end Jared Cook said his family had gone to Ferguson and he wanted to support the community since he couldn't attend protests himself[10].
### Did the NFL punish the Rams players?
No. Despite demands from the St. Louis Police Officers Association to discipline the five players, the NFL stated it would not fine or punish them[10]. Head coach Jeff Fisher also confirmed no team discipline would follow[10].
### Did the Rams apologize to police?
This was disputed. Rams executive Kevin Demoff said he "regretted any offense their officers may have taken" but explicitly denied apologizing. St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar told his staff he "believed it to be an apology," a characterization the Rams rejected[13].
### Who was Dorian Johnson?
Dorian Johnson was Michael Brown's friend who was present during the August 9, 2014, shooting. His eyewitness account claiming Brown had his hands up and said "don't shoot" was the direct basis for the protest slogan[8]. Johnson was shot and killed in Ferguson on September 7, 2025[12].
### What is Hands Up United?
Hands Up United is a police watchdog activist group based in Ferguson, Missouri, formed in the wake of Michael Brown's death. Co-founded by Tory Russell, it helped spread the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" chant and grew into an organization focused on racial and economic justice[3][14].
### Was "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" used during the George Floyd protests?
Yes. The chant was widely used at 2020 demonstrations across the country, including at the White House, in Oakland, Columbus, and Detroit. NBA star Stephen Curry and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer were among those documented using it[3].
## References
1. [USA TODAY]()
2. [St. Louis Rams’ hands-up gesture animates Ferguson protests – The Denver Post]()
3. [Democrats | Mediaite]()
4. [Hands Up, Don't Shoot - Know Your Meme]()
5. [Copypasta]()
6. [Hands Up, Don't Shoot - Urban Dictionary]()
7. [Killing of Michael Brown - Wikipedia]()
8. [Deadspin | St. Louis Cops Declare Rams' "Hands Up Don't Shoot" To Be "Offensive"]()
9. [A History of the 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Movement]()
10. [Hands Up, Don't Shoot! Built on a Lie | Facing History & Ourselves]()
11. [“Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” Chant Creator Shot And Killed In Ferguson]()
12. ['Hands Up, Don't Shoot': one of the biggest hoaxes of our time | Sharyl Attkisson]()
13. [Whether History Or Hype, 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Endures : NPR]()
14. [Murdered: The Man Behind the 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Hoax – PJ Media]()
15. [Reminder (Again): “Hands up, don’t shoot” is a fabricated narrative from the Michael Brown case]()
16. [‘Hands up, don’t shoot’ didn’t make a difference for Terence Crutcher Video footage shows another black life taken by police]()
17. [Hands Up United – Mobilising Action for Racial & Economic Justice]()
18. [Deadspin | St. Louis Cops Declare Rams' "Hands Up Don't Shoot" To Be "Offensive"]()
19. [USA TODAY]()
20. [St. Louis Rams insist they did NOT apologize to cops for 'hands up' protest | Daily Mail Online]()
21. [St. Louis Rams’ hands-up gesture animates Ferguson protests – The Denver Post]()
22. [NFL says it won't discipline Rams players for Ferguson protest]()
23. [Democrats | Mediaite]()
24. [Hands up, don't shoot explained]()
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