I have not blogged about this situation in Ferguson because it is already getting all kinds of coverage, but what I saw last night has compelled me to weigh in.
Here is a taste:
Protests racked this St. Louis suburb for a fifth straight night Wednesday as anger flared anew over the police killing of an unarmed young black man.
Armored personnel carriers and officers wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles greeted demonstrators. When the crowd ignored orders to disperse, officers unleashed tear gas and rubber bullets, witnesses said.
Police sealed off the area that was the scene of vandalism and looting Sunday night.
“We’ve done everything we can to demonstrate a remarkable amount of restraint,” St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said in an interview outside the command post. “If there was an easy way to fix this, we would have already solved the problem.”
Officers had heard sporadic gunfire, he said. At least 10 people were arrested.
Of course the protests are in response to the shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown at the hands of the police, which at least one witness has said was completely unprovoked.
This has caused an incredible outpouring of anger among Ferguson residents, who have had many troubling encounters with the police.
And the police are not doing themselves any favors as indicated by the fact that they arrested two reporters at a local McDonald's restaurant for filming them as they cleared the place out:
Reporters Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post and Ryan Reilly of The Huffington Post said on Twitter that police told them to stop recording the events, then took them into custody.
Reilly tweeted that police asked him for his ID when he took a photo. He said he and Lowery were arrested for "not packing their bags quick enough."
Lowery tweeted, "Officers slammed me into a fountain soda machine because I was confused about which door they were asking me to walk out of."
If that were not bad enough the police were also videotaped firing tear gas at reporters from AlJazeera.
Now as a rule I am usually on the side of the police, I am at heart a law and order kind of guy.
However what is happening right now in Ferguson, Missouri is very troubling on a number of levels, and it also speaks to the militarization of the police, and their aggressive attitudes while dealing with the public.
Especially the African America public.
There are a number of ways that this whole things could have been better handled, but it appears that the police are not utilizing any of them.
These guys are a nightmarish version of the Keystone Cops. Total incompetence with a healthy helping of racism. Yeah, rill Murkins.
ReplyDeleteSo the Civil War begins again -- this time civilians against the militia. What will it take to FIX the racism still rampant in the states? Deaths won't stop it, but just excalate it. Good night, America. You've just seen your tomorrows.
ReplyDeletePolice forces are now like this across the nation and it needs to be stopped. The newas coverage last night made us look like a third world country!
ReplyDeleteThat force represented nothing more than total assholes! And, if other police forces come out anywhere in our country henceforth, - cameras will be ready! Get as many photos of faces that you can! They need to be stopped!
Who in the hell would call for police help when they come out looking like they are at war? Frightening bunch of jerks!!!
Amazing, amazing images coming out of there...
ReplyDeleteIt's a great way for law enforcement to re-instill confidence in law enforcement after the shooting of Michael Brown.
Years from now, law enforcement is going to use this as an example of how NOT to handle a PR disaster.
As a rule, I am usually not on the side of the cops:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ruthlessreviews.com/13647/the-curse-of-the-micropenised-cop/
"...That burden can only be unleashed via removing peoples’ civil rights, one false police report at a time. The fact that cops get to beat, intimidate, and manipulate under the guise of justice dissolves all feelings of culpability. The mirror of judgment the super-ego holds hazes and fogs under the heat of subsidized doughnut farts."
It is very disturbing to see our civilian police forces turning into military forces similar to our forces overseas in countries which we have been involved in. Are we turning into a 3rd world country when it comes to the police which use to "serve and protect" the population. Whats going on here?
ReplyDeleteWith all of those uniforms and weapons, maybe the police force from Ferguson are anxious to serve in Afghanistan for a while, where they could put that stuff to good use.
DeleteJust to be clear, the Ferguson Police is only 53 officers. They do not have a lot of tactical equipment. What you saw in Ferguson Wed. night was a collection of police from many municipalities plus the St. Louis County police.
DeleteThe command and control on Wed. night was St. Louis County. Gov. Nixon has handed control to Missouri State Police. Although the tactical equipment remains in the area, we are hoping to see a significant change in crowd handling tonight. There will still be police from many organizations, though.
That ENTIRE police force - with the men that led it - should be sent to a war zone somewhere in our world to learn what actual war is really like!
DeleteThe cops portrayed themselves horribly and wrongly! Arresting the journalists and trying to silence them on top of everything else? What friggin' bullshit! They didn't make it appear at all like this was all done in the United States of America!
Our leaders need to be watching because we have police forces across the country that are suppose to be like this rancid bunch in MO.
If they continue to come out like they are going to war just what may they expect in our future? There will be civil war and it appears that is exactly what they want! Frightening bunch and racists on top of it all!
Family friend lives a few blocks from ground zero QuikTrip. Life is more complicated when you have to find out where the road blocks are before going out for milk. It's not fun explaining to the kids why school opening is delayed and what to do if the tear gas blows their way.
ReplyDeleteMany people in Missouri have a lot of questions about the death of Michael Brown and how law enforcement is handled. MRAPs with snipers is NOT what we need.
The protesters are just SO ignorant it's astounding.
ReplyDeleteMay God be with the cops as they deal with the assholes
How many hours did Michael Brown lay in that street without being checked by medical personnel?
DeleteWhen a citizen dies from police bullets, who collects the forensic evidence? Who interviews the witnesses? Who maintains custody of the evidence? Who ensures that proper protocol is followed?
DeleteMaybe it shouldn't be the local good ole boys.
The protesters are just SO ignorant it's astounding.
DeleteMay God be with the cops as they deal with the assholes
It appears that one of the assholes is writing this comment. No, God is not with you, asshole.
Anon @1:24 PM
Delete"The protesters are just SO ignorant it's astounding.
May God be with the cops as they deal with the assholes".
What specifically do you mean when you say the protesters are "ignorant"? What are they ignorant of?
Police departments normally release the name of the cop who does the shooting. In this case they refuse to release the name...because of ignorance of what should be done? Or because they're covering something up? The protesters do have the right to peacefully protest. The reporters have the right to take photos or video of policemen, a right guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. The ignorance seems to be on the side of the Ferguson PD and the policemen with their battlefield gear.
May God be with the protesters as they deal with the over-zealous, Barney Fife Keystone cops.
1:44 Especially in that racist community! Don't know why anyone would live in Missouri.
DeleteAnon 2:43 people live in Missouri for the same reason you live in whatever rathole you live in--family. From this day forward Ferguson and St. Louis County police will be the models for the worst of inept policing.
DeleteYour ignorance equals at least the worst po po doofus Transformer on any police force.
DeleteWatched the live streams last night with images of Kent State floating in my head.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet the cops still haven't found the time to interview witnesses, thank goodness the family attorney has asked the feds to investigate. All citizens should be in the mayors office or calling the mayors office for the removal of the police chief from office immediately.
ReplyDeleteThat police chief needs to be brought before us ALL. And, the name of the cop that shot the kid needs to be public knowledge.
DeleteThis town in America is NOT transparent. They are hiding everything! But, we all know that they are a horrible racist community!
The unitnended effect of this debacle is that for the first time since Obama took office, all the R's and all the D;s agree. This is too much. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, President Obama and Eric Holder along with many others all agree that this is too much. This police action is not America. And I agree with all of them; this type of polic action has no place in our Democracy.
ReplyDeleteThe only group I read that supports these jack thugs is the KKK.
Another unintended effect is that children and teens all over the St. Louis area, now chant "hands up, don't shoot" like it is a sports event cheer.
DeleteAnd, they'll still probably be killed by police throughout our country! Yes, even the black kid with his hands up and saying don't shoot! Keep your cameras on you at all times America!
DeleteHas Sarah, the wise, all-seeing, all-knowing political expert offered any comment about Michael Brown and Ferguson?
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to "The police, your friend and helper" ???
ReplyDeleteThe local police would be the last folks I'd call in our world today. They are a group of egotists, war mongers and racists! I'll call family members or friends.
ReplyDeleteSt. Louis is my home town. I have lived in the area all my life except for a year at SIU-E. I'm saddened-in shock, not really comprehending what is happening 50 miles away. (I now live southwest of STL; Ferguson is a suburb northeast of me not far from the airport).
ReplyDeleteBeing raised a white catholic schooled girl I did not meet an African American person until public high school. (Cleveland - yeah!) There I began to know people as people - no color bias. I also began to see blatant racism towards some of my friends that felt like a cold slap to the face - and I am white!!
Racism in STL is an ugly thing. Never seen on the surface but always present. During the civil rights era STL never had major rioting or civil unrest as we are seeing today. The local ministers and civic leaders kept the unrest in check.
STL area was divided north vs. south area; African Americans lived in northern suburbs and north city; whites lived south. Kingshighway and Grand Blvd. were boundary streets. This informal "boundary" is not as relevant now since the STL area is more culturally blended than it was when I was a young girl.
As for us, we love where we live (lots of woods behind us) but I am sad to confess racists abound in the area. :(
BTW The civil disobedience and looting you are seeing may be some local residents, but I have heard reports of people who do not live in Ferguson caught looting in stores. Also stores outside of the Ferguson area have been robbed and major damage done to these businesses.
To 1:38 p.m. It has been reported that Michael laid there for almost four hours. This is despicable.
We're waiting for a call from a friend who lives in Florrisant; she texted me they are okay. She will call me after work (she's a nurse at a hospital near the riot area).
Please hold good thoughts for the people of Ferguson. .
There is a documentary called the Pruitt-Igoe Myth worth watching. Shows how racism and segregation have been a part of st Louis history.
DeleteMissouri Governor Nixon has relieved St. Louis County police department of their duties in Ferguson. The Missouri Highway Patrol is now in charge of security for Ferguson. The head of the Highway Patrol is a black man who grew up in Ferguson. Hopefully, this will improve the situation.
ReplyDeleteReleasing tear gas onto resident's lawns, firing rubber bullets on peaceful protesters and journalists is illegal. The situation has started a national conversation about militarization of local police.
Let's hope some sanity has returned to that beleaguered town. Just think of the family of the victim, trying to bury a child and mourn his death (murder) during all of this mayhem. I just wish that the governor had acted more quickly.
DeleteBeaglemom
This whole thing makes me sick. I thought this was all over years ago! I read earlier today that the Police Chief's son has a Confederate flag on his house. Just beyond my comprehension.
ReplyDeleteThe police force in that town should ALL be fired. What a horrible display they put on last night. There is no way I'd call any of their force for help. One nasty group that showed America to be nothing more than a third world country.
DeleteThe higher ups in our government had better watch this because it could spread throughout our country. Theirs is not the only police force that acts like they did and has all that bullshit armor!
Missouri Takes Control of Security Away from Ferguson Police:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/14/us-usa-missouri-shooting-idUSKBN0GA0Q420140814
Ferguson Is Mostly Black. Why Is Its Government So White?
ReplyDeleteFerguson, Missouri, is a majority-black city governed mostly by whites. The mayor is white. The police chief is white. The police force is 94 percent white. Only one of its six city council members is black. These facts, as much as anything, have shaped the protests over the police shooting of Michael Brown. Ferguson, with a 67 percent black population, is a place where the largest community has little political voice.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/08/14/ferguson_missouri_government_why_is_it_so_white.html
How did all these racist white folks get voted into office? Were the black folks blocked from voting in some manner? Do we need to investigate Ferguson, Missouri in depth? Assuredly sounds as though the feds should! They are truly a racist bunch - it' been proven already!
DeleteThe police have learned a lot from Ferguson. The next chance they get to haul out all the big toys they will aim for complete control on day one because the optics are terrible. And they will aim for the cell phones because the live streams defeated them this time.
ReplyDeleteNone of the fire power we saw Wed. night has evaporated. They'll polish it up, drill with it and hone the lessons of Ferguson. The next adventure will NOT be on youtube.
They'll come out with their microwave weapons, which will heat metal and people so they drop everything. If that does not do the job, then they will come with their sonic weapons, which will make people scream in agony, because their eardrums explode.
DeleteThe police not wanting to identify which policeman shot this young man makes one wonder if the officer who did the shooting , might have been the police chief himself or some other high ranking Ferguson police officer, who should have known better than to do this. They certainly know how to badly handle this matter.
ReplyDeleteOne wonders, too, if the officer was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, diagnosed with PTSD, had a bad rap sheet, had recent domestic problems, liked to torment animals, had a really creepy internet persona, etc.
DeleteFerguson Police Dept. behaved as though making the dead person the perp was not going to be a problem. Something must have given them that confidence. Other than sheer stupidity, it's hard to imagine what though.
Anon at 4:39 pm. Remember how easy it was for the police and prosecution to transform Trayvon Martin into the "perp" just a little while ago? If the offending cop had been diagnosed with PTSD, and I doubt it, then he should have been moved off the streets and behind a desk or off the force. This whole thing is simply absurd. Is it an effort to bring on national "race riots" so President Obama can be blamed for those and the 2014 election skewed? I wouldn't put it past the GOP and their neo-Nazi right wing. The Koch brothers would love it.
DeleteBeaglemom
This has me sick to my stomach. The police are clearly in the wrong here, and this will not end well as long as freedom of speech is squashed by the police and more people feel fear, injustice, and disenfranchisement. I live in a racially mixed city, and have family in the law enforcement field, and haven't seen this level of police intimidation/racism here.
ReplyDeleteOur police department reflects the make up of the racial mix of our city, and still there's rogue idiots in uniform screwing it up for those doing a good job.
I saw the news conference and footage today, the extremism has been notched down, but they STILL haven't made public the perp's name.
Nothing will bring this child back, but we've got to keep the focus where it belongs to get justice.
The killing and idiotic police actions in Missouri are creating 'peaceful' demonstrations throughout the country and rightly so. They were shown in the different cities on the Rachel Maddow Show tonight.
ReplyDeleteThere are other police forces - throughout America - that have all the war gear exactly as we saw displayed in Ferguson last night.
It is the "policing" method that is the problem. Probably unconstitutional to approach citizens as if they were hostile aliens of some kind.
ReplyDeleteThe protesters actions and the law enforcement actions are equally idiotic.
ReplyDeleteHave any official reports or investigation results, regardless of whether they are believed or not, been made public yet?
Giving the local police or the state police all of this military-looking gear is totally wrong. It seems to transform the local "cop on the corner" into GI Joe from every dumb movie anyone has ever seen. The citizens of that town, no matter what their ethnicity, are supposed to be protected by these guys and not terrified by them. Why can't a police department ever admit that one of its members made a terrible mistake, charge the guy like any man on the street would have been, and get on with life?
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
It's sad that people have forgotten that this kind of "policing" is part of the legacy of the great Ronald Reagan - you know, that marvelous visionary, Godfather of Dementianomics, bloated prisons and the entire private prison industry, China's lead role in solar cell manufacturing, America's foreign oil dependence, ...
ReplyDeleteYeah, that Ronald Reagan. What a guy.