Members of Congress used the phrase 'Hands up, don't shoot' in relation to the Ferguson protests.
Posted by The Daily Show: Ears Edition, Checked
- Sources
- 9 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 90%
The Daily Show: Ears EditionAug 28, 2026
Multiple independent sources (Politico, NY Daily News, Wikipedia, Bustle, Atlanta Black Star, Veasey's office) report that members of Congress, including Reps. Jeffries, Clarke, Jackson Lee and Green, made the 'Hands up, don't shoot' gesture on the House floor in December 2014 in solidarity with Ferguson protesters.
What was said
… Why isn't the media, which peddled that narrative, apologizing? Obama, Sharpton, they should be held responsible for their incendiary rhetoric, rushing to judgment, blood on their hands. The damage was done to the inflammatory rhetoric. We saw members of Congress saying, "Hands up, don't shoot," and if one of them has so far apologized for misleading America, we haven't heard it. I have not received a single, "I am very sorry for igniting racial conflict." …
The Daily Show: Ears Edition · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Several lawmakers made the 'Hands up, don't shoot' gesture on the House floor and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries spoke the phrase in reference to Ferguson and Michael Brown.[2][4][5]
Supports. Four members of the Congressional Black Caucus (Jeffries, Clarke, Jackson Lee, Green) repeated the gesture in solidarity with Ferguson protesters, widely reported in December 2014.[5][6][7][8]
Supports. Congressional staffers and members of Congress staged a walkout in the same gesture in December 2014 to protest the Ferguson and Garner grand jury decisions.[1][9]
Supports. The NYT reports the slogan resonated with public figures including members of Congress, as a rallying cry tied to Ferguson.[3]
Context. The post itself is the claimant's words and was not used as evidence; the claim's wording matches the passage's line about members of Congress saying the phrase.
Sources
9 sources: 1 primary, 2 tier 2, 6 not rated
- 1US Capitol staffers raise their hands for Fergusonveasey.house.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 2Lawmakers make 'hands up' gesture on House floorpolitico.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 3Ferguson Report Puts ‘Hands Up' to Reality Testnytimes.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 4Congress Members Show Support For Ferguson - Bustlebustle.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Four Members of Congress do ‘Hands Up’ gesture on House floornydailynews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Hands up, don't shoot - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Hands Up, Don't Shoot - Apolyton Civilization Siteapolyton.net · not rated · cited for: supports
- 8Chair of CBC Calls Wilson Verdict a 'Slap in Our Face,' While Members of Congress Put Hands Up in Solidarityatlantablackstar.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 9Black Congressional Staffers Stage Powerful Hands Up, Dont Shoot ...nymag.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post