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Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Ferguson continues to fester ( August 19 , 2014 ) -- National Guard introduction to the scene of protests fails to bring calm...... Protesters carrying " Negro Spring " signs - recalling the Sixties troubles ?
UPDATE: Shots Fired. Protesters throwing projectiles. Protesters forming line in front of Police. Police responding..."Get that camera out of my fucking face." -- officer who pointed gun at protestors.Protesters maced, Reporters cordoned off.
UPDATE: Tactical teams have moved in to move protesters along. Community leaders are trying to calm both sides.
Following the death of another young black male in St.Louis, tonight has all the possibility of being another one of violence in Ferguson, Missouri. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon commented, the Mike Brown shooting has "ripped open old wounds," and calls for "vigorous" prosecution.
UPDATE: Shots Fired. Protesters throwing projectiles. Protesters forming line in front of Police. Police responding...
The angry mobs have assembled early today, with KTVI reporting that moments ago the Justice Center in Clayton, MO has been put on lockdown. The reason: a flash mob has just appeared outside. We understand their anger, but what we don't get is why don't they just buy stocks instead: wouldn't the protesters rather be wealthy than furious and screaming? Plus, it's not as if there is any risk in buying stocks.
St. Louis local news is reporting that the Attorney for the Ferguson store, Jake Kanzler said the the Ferguson store owner, nor any store employee called the police to report any shoplifting of cigars, but, rather, a customer called the police.
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REPORTER: The owner of the store dispute the claim that they or an employee called 911, saying a customer inside the store made the call. They also say St. Louis County issues the warrants for the hard drive of surveillance video Friday.
[emphasis added by me]
the Ferguson Market attorney said police did not see the video until after the unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, was shot dead in the street.
REPORTER: "I asked the attorney for the owner of the store how the Ferguson police ended up with the video the Police Chief released this morning, the attorney said, 'during the course of Ferguson's investigation, the police department from Ferguson, came to the store and asked for to review the tape."
***
KANZLER: "Whatever the police are looking for on the surveillance tape, has nothing to do with what went on in the street."
Well, well, well ... now the fact that no employee from the store, nor the store owner called 911 to report a 'theft' of cheap cigars, might explain why the DoJ did not want Ferguson Police Chief Johnson to release the tape. Add to that, the fact that even Ferguson Market attorney acknowledges the obvious, "Whatever the police are looking for on the surveillance tape, has nothing to do with what went on in the street."
Take away: the alleged theft of the cheap cigars was so insignificant to the Ferguson Market that they did not even bother to call 911 about it -- yet -- the Ferguson Police Chief appears to want us to pretend that the alleged shoplifting of the cheap cigars somehow justifies Officer Darren Wilson killing the unarmed teenager who they claim was the alleged suspect.
The local authorities have tried everything: aggressive police, appeasing highway patrol, curfew, no curfew, and last night, the national guard. Nothing seems to work. Because what until 9 pm was a peaceful protest, it quickly, as documented here extensively, spiraled out of control. And as the crowd advanced, police fired stun grenades and tear gas at protesters. This escalation allegedly happened after, as Reuters reports, the police came under heavy gunfire leading to the arrest of 31 people, including a famous Getty photographer and yet another journalist.
Despite announcing the end to the curfew in Ferguson, MO tonight, police in the city continue to escalate the crackdown on demonstrators, trying to limit rallies to designated “free speech zone” and warning them, even in those areas, to keep walking or face immediate arrest.
Military vehicles and police in body armor took to the streets at night, attacking protesters with tear gas and incendiary grenades, trying to send the crowds scattering, but only fueling more anger.
A brief calm on Thursday now seems a distant memory, as police ditched the tactics of talking with the protesters and returned to their more comfortable, but decidedly less effective, strategy of attacking them on sight.
Police in Ferguson, Missouri, during clashes with demonstrators on Monday night. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Police arrested 31 as they clashed with protesters in another night of gunfire, teargas and chaos in Ferguson 10 days after the shooting of an unarmed teenager ignited an uproar over race in America.
A massive show of force by riot police and newly arrived national guard units failed to quell agitators who fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails on Monday night and early on Tuesday morning.
Missouri national guard troops entered the protest zone and police ordered the media to leave as officers in armoured vehicles fired teargas and stun grenades and engaged with gunmen.
The mayhem dashed hopes that the deployment of the national guard, and greater community efforts to control the small minority of violent protesters, would ease a crisis which flared after a local police officer shot Michael Brown, 18, on 9 August.
At a 2.20am press conference, Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri state highway patrol said 31 people had been arrested, some who had come from as far afield as New York and California. He said two people were shot and displayed two handguns and a Molotov cocktail he said had been confiscated by police.
Johnson made an impassioned defence of the scale of the police response, which has come under sharp criticism. He said officers had acted with restraint against “criminal acts by a tiny minority of lawbreakers”.
Adding that police had at one point come under gunfire, and that several officers had been injured by rocks and bottles, Johnson urged peaceful protesters from now on to limit their demonstrations to daytime and not give cover to criminals at night.
“We’re going to make this neighbourhood whole, we’re going to make this community whole, and we’re going to do it together,” said Johnson, close to tears. “And I am not going to let criminals who come here from across the country or live in this community define this neighbourhood.”
UPDATE: Tension between heavily armed police and protesters is increasing rapidly, arrests made:"if you are standing in the street or not moving, you are unlawfully assembled... you will be subject to arrest"
Live fire from the direction of protesters, police unleash tear gas and stun grenades, drag people from car. "that's the worst I have seen it"
With the curfew cancelled, the arrival of The National Guard has brought with it new 'rules' as standing become loitering and peaceful protests must keep moving. Several arrests have already been made including 'white' Getty Images photographer Scott Olson. St.Louis native and famous rapper Nelly is on the scenesuggesting the people have 'options'. Several protesters have been spotted carrying posters with the words "Negro Spring" on them and this term is beginning to gain traction on social media. As darkness falls (and with no curfew-induced deadline), we suspect the presence of the military will do nothing to resolve roiling tensions as the numbers of protesters is rising rapidly. Perhaps John Oliver said it best - "let's totally demilitarize the police; and if and only if they can get through a month without killing a young black man can get their toys back."
UPDATE: Shots Fired. Protesters throwing projectiles. Protesters forming line in front of Police. Police responding..."Get that camera out of my fucking face." -- officer who pointed gun at protestors.Protesters maced, Reporters cordoned off.
Military vehicles and police in body armor took to the streets at night, attacking protesters with tear gas and incendiary grenades, trying to send the crowds scattering, but only fueling more anger.
The New York Times 
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