The protests surrounding Michael Brown’s shooting continue to rage in Ferguson, Missouri. And although the previous 24 hours had been peaceful in Ferguson following the replacement of the local police force with the Missouri highway patrol, tensions again ran high in the aftermath of the St. Louis police department releasing new information.
Following yesterday’s release of the name Darren Wilson as the confirmed identity of the officer who shot Michael Brown, police Chief Thomas Jackson disclosed that Brown was a suspect in a convenience store robbery that took place just prior to his death.
Related: Michael Brown Shooting: A Timeline Of The Fallout In Ferguson
Jackson’s decision to name Brown as a robbery suspect was met with immense backlash, and last night, protestors reached violent levels that included looting and robbing several businesses—including the convenience store in question.
Many questioned what the motivations were behind releasing this information, and Brown’s family also joined in expressing their outrage at the allegations, citing it as an example to tarnish their son’s reputation. The Missouri highway patrol also criticized the decision to release the video, in a rare showing of law enforcement disagreement.
So as night fell in Ferguson on Friday (August 15), The Washington Post reports that peaceful protests took an ugly turn. While some protestors attempted to stop the looting, others continues to break glass and steal from the businesses in the downtown area where the protests have been held. After the riot gear and tear gas had disappeared with the arrival of the Missouri highway patrol, it reappeared on Friday night.
The looters were described as predominantly intoxicated young people by the Post’s reports, and older members of the protest actively stopped them from looting and robbing, forming a counter-protestor movement when possible. The Post also reported that the police did not interfere with the looting.
Clearly, the problems that this incident caused in Ferguson are far from over. We will continue to update this story as it unfolds.
No Comments