Michael Brown killing: State police take over riot-hit US town

[PiPiFFS]

You just have to look at the speed Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson rolled into town to realise this was going to turn into a racist media circus.

The way I see it the police have become to quick to use deadly force in situations that doesn't need it but there also seems a total lack of respect for the law from a large proportion of the public.

It would indeed be a tragedy if this turns out to be a case of an officer asking these guys to get off the road and them turning it into a confrontation that has ended with the death of one young man instead of just doing what the officer asked them to do. Especially dumb if you had indeed just robbed a store.

[Ulysses G.]

The looting and riots have started again. What a surprise that is. At least we know what kind of person Michael Brown really was now.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[CMNightRider]

Statistics do not justify the killing of anyone.

Who said anything about statistics justifying the killing of anyone???

[4evermaat]

More proof that things in the USA are at a boiling point on many issues.

Hyper-materialism was never supposed to be a substitute for hard work and practicality. Fear and greed are being manipulated to keep USD in power.

[SteveFong]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvGjbwXImU8

[SteveFong]

live feeds from the area of the rioting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nHAHVqPDlE

[ATF]

I wonder what would have happened if the shopkeepers had defended their shops with AR rifles? Instead of letting the insurance companies take the hit.

[Ulysses G.]

Some did last night. They have had enough of this stupidity.

[ATF]

Some did last night. They have had enough of this stupidity.

Body count?

[Lite Beer]

Missouri governor declares state of emergency, curfew

FERGUSON, United States - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in Ferguson, Missouri in response to looters after racial tensions boiled over once more in the wake of the police shooting of an unarmed black teen.

"To protect the people and property of Ferguson today, I signed an order declaring a state of emergency and ordering implementation of a curfew in the impacted area of Ferguson," Nixon told reporters. Captain Ron Johnson, in charge of security in the restive St Louis suburb, said the curfew would begin overnight and last from midnight to 5:00 am (1000 GMT).

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Missouri-governor-declares-state-of-emergency-curf-30241099.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-17

[zydeco]

Some did last night. They have had enough of this stupidity.

With the governor's newly appointed Missouri state police captain now in charge [aka Captain Hugs], the police might turn their weapons on the business owners. Here is what Capt. Hugs has said, "State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, in charge of security for the town, praised local citizens who tried to stop the looting of several businesses early Saturday. He said law enforcement would not be heavy-handed in enforcing the curfew. "We won't enforce it with trucks, we won't enforce it with tear gas," he said." http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/16/us/missouri-teen-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Yes, he PRAISED the locals who moved in to try and stop the looting AFTER the looters had left. And, basically, Capt. Hugs just said he has no intention of enforcing the newly applied curfew. Seems to me that Capt. Hugs is more of an accomplice than a law enforcement officer.

[Ulysses G.]

The way I see it the police have become to quick to use deadly force in situations that doesn't need it but there also seems a total lack of respect for the law from a large proportion of the public.

Relevant statute for an officer using deadly force in Missouri:

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statute...

3. A law enforcement officer in effecting an arrest or in preventing an escape from custody is justified in using deadly force only

(1) When such is authorized under other sections of this chapter; or

(2) When he reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is immediately necessary to effect the arrest and also reasonably believes that the person to be arrested

(a) Has committed or attempted to commit a felony; or

( Is attempting to escape by use of a deadly weapon; or

© May otherwise endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless arrested without delay.

[thailiketoo]

It's unbearable to watch the US descend into this type of mau-mauing. Scenario projected on TV = recently graduated high school scholar about to enroll in college, Gentle Giant who was never in trouble, unarmed teenager, entirely innocent youth pulled over merely for walking down the street, surrenderer to police, murder victim, "community" protest and distrust of the police, major civil rights violation.

Meanwhile, facts emerge = bulked up bully who uses his size to intimidate people, going to heating and air conditioning "college," shoplifter who quickly turned robber,strong arm assault, shot during an altercation with police while he knew he was wanted for robbing a store, "community" erupts into looting, arson, and theft.

White authorities forced to back down, while blacks are put in charge at every level, local, state, and federal. Welcome to post-racial America. You can have it.

It's what happened to Detroit starting with Coleman Young in 1973. He ran on a platform of eliminating units of the police department. Detroit was 50 % percent white then. Now I don't think there are any whites in Detroit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Detroit

[PiPiFFS]

Just because the laws says he CAN do it doesn't mean that he HAS to or NEEDS to. At the moment killing seems to be the preffered option rather than the last option.

I still wouldn't want to be a cop in the uSA today though !

[SteveFong]

the protest is over because people with jobs need to sleep

what is left are people whose next bed, is in jail

[Lite Beer]

Curfew in Missouri town wracked by race-tinged riots
Joshua Lott
FERGUSON, United States August 17, 2014 3:08 pm

A demonstrator stands near a cloud of tear gas after police fired the gas at demonstrators after a midnight curfew on Sunday in Ferguson, Missouri.//Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

A crowd of some 200 demonstrators defied a curfew that came into effect in Ferguson, Missouri early Sunday, days after police shot dead an unarmed black teen, triggering a wave of rioting.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and a curfew starting at midnight Saturday (0500 GMT Sunday) until 5:00 am for the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by police on August 9.

Ferguson was mostly peaceful when the curfew began on Sunday, local media reported. But a crowd of about 200 protesters gathered in the area where Brown was shot and defied orders to disperse.

Heavily armed riot police, backed up by reinforcements in armored vehicles, hurled smoke canisters and slowly moved in to break up the crowd. While the media images were dramatic, there were no reported incidents of violence.

Nixon said he ordered the measures "to protect the people and property of Ferguson" after looters raided town stores and scuffled with police overnight Friday to Saturday.

The goal is "to contain those who are drowning out the voice of the people with their actions," said Nixon, speaking at a press conference Saturday held at a local church.

Nixon was repeatedly interrupted by locals angered by an apparent lack of accountability for the largely white police force responsible for Brown’s death in the majority black area.

"Excuse me, governor, you need to charge that police officer with murder," said a heckler, referring to the white officer who shot Brown. "Yeah!" cried out supporters.

"Call for an investigation," said another heckler, as palpable anger and frustration simmered in the church hall. "Where’s the indictment?"

Others demanded that police guard their homes and businesses.

Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, the African-American officer that governor Nixon put in charge of restoring peace, stepped forward to speak.

"Yelling at each other is not going to solve that," Johnson said.

"I don’t care who you are, how old you are, and I don’t care if you were peaceful protesters last night or a rioter rioting, you’ll still get the same answers. Tonight we will enforce it with curfew. We won’t enforce it with trucks and tear gas. We’ll communicate and tell you... it’s time to go home."

Nixon also said 40 more FBI agents arrived in Ferguson to advance the investigation into Brown’s death. Many went door to door in the community seeking additional witnesses.

- Renewed unrest -

==================

Riot police fired tear gas and clashed with looters overnight Friday to Saturday, hours after police named Brown as a suspect in the robbery of a Ferguson convenience store.

Gangs of thieves targeted several stores, including the one that Brown allegedly robbed just before he was shot dead on August 9.

Protesters also hurled Molotov cocktails and bricks at police, who responded with tear gas, smoke bombs and rubber bullets but they mostly stayed at a distance in armored vehicles and riot gear.

In some cases locals locked arms outside stores to keep looters out, and in others store owners showed up carrying rifles and sidearms to protect their property.

On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people gathered peacefully near the scene of Brown’s shooting, marking the exact moment he was shot a week ago.

- ’Execution-style murder’ -

============================

Brown’s death has renewed a national debate about relations between law enforcement and African Americans.

His family appealed for calm, but accused authorities of a "devious" attempt to smear their son’s character after police released surveillance video of the store robbery.

The video shows a young black man carrying cigars out of a convenience store, and pushing another man who tries to stop him.

The robbery occurred just minutes before the policeman shot Brown dead, but police said the officer stopped the teen for walking in the middle of the street and did not know of the robbery.

In Harlem, New York, African American civil rights activist Al Sharpton criticised the video’s release, accusing the police of sullying Brown’s image in the public eye.

"Have we lost our decency when you don’t even let people mourn their loved ones without you trying to smear them with things that have nothing to do with the situation?" he asked.

"Are you telling me that you have the right to run down somebody and kill him over three or four cigars?"

Police identified the officer who shot Brown as Darren Wilson, 28, a white, four-year veteran of the force with no disciplinary record.

Separately, Twitter co-founder and St. Louis native Jack Dorsey was in Ferguson over the weekend sending tweets about the protests.

"Feels good to be home. I’ll be standing with everyone in Ferguson all weekend #HandsUpDontShoot" the billionaire posted late Friday, before unleashing dozens of Tweets and Vine video posts from protests in the Missouri town.

The hashtag refers to the shooting death of Brown. Some witnesses said the young African American had his hands in the air when he was shot multiple times.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Curfew-in-Missouri-town-wracked-by-race-tinged-rio-30241108.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-17

[terryp]

AmeriKa is in its last death throws, the next few years are going to be very painful and anyone who is capable should be making plans to get out while they can (where to go is the hard part and with what money can you get out of the Country is the next problem) ...i know there will be many on here that will flame and give me abuse but all i say to you is WAKE UP, if you think what the Corporate elite have done to the US over the past 10 years is good then you are part of the problem and I hope you enjoy your FEMA Camp dormitory (built to Agenda21 measurements of course and equipped with all the Chinese made tat that took over from quality products made in AmeriKan factory's)

[zydeco]

Not only did $harpton criticize the release of the video that showed the "unarmed teenager" to be a "strongarmed robber," but the federal government is in on the conspiracy to cover up information about Brown as well. According to the NYTimes:

The Justice Department asked the Ferguson Police Department not to release the video because of concerns that “it would roil the community further,” a United States law enforcement official said on Saturday. The Ferguson department released the video on Friday and the Justice official said it “occurred over the objection of federal authorities.” The official said a copy of the video had been in possession of federal investigators, as well, “and there were never any plans by the federal investigators to release that copy.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/us/ferguson-missouri-protests.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1

Some have said that Capt Ron on his Hug-a-Thug march through Ferguson was accompanied by Bloods with their faces covered by bandanas and wearing a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap, the cap being a gang symbol for that particular nighborhood and, coincidentally or not, what Michael Brown was wearing when he robbed the food mart.

Edited August 17, 2014 by zydeco

[Ulysses G.]

Not only did $harpton criticize the release of the video that showed the "unarmed teenager" to be a "strongarmed robber," but the federal government is in on the conspiracy to cover up information about Brown as well. According to the NYTimes:

The Justice Department asked the Ferguson Police Department not to release the video because of concerns that “it would roil the community further,” a United States law enforcement official said on Saturday. The Ferguson department released the video on Friday and the Justice official said it “occurred over the objection of federal authorities.” The official said a copy of the video had been in possession of federal investigators, as well, “and there were never any plans by the federal investigators to release that copy.”

...

That sounds exactly like Eric Holder, the "activist" Attorney General.

[churchill]

The coverage all seems a bit overblown to me considering what else is happening in the world

[zydeco]

The coverage all seems a bit overblown to me considering what else is happening in the world

There are other fora and topics for those events. Why don't you go discuss them there?

Edited August 17, 2014 by zydeco

[PiPiFFS]

Sharpton and Jackson must be loving it. When they put the black highway patrol guy in charge things cooled right down and it was more like a street party / protest but these two race card parasites soon whipped people up into a frenzy as they always do.

[MaxYakov]

Here's a solution to the "looting" problem:

[chuckd]

I see Holder has sent an additional 40 FBI agents to interview the state of Missouri...but he can't seem to send agents to interview the victims of the IRS or the witnesses from Benghazi.

With this administration, justice isn't only blind, it is partisan.

If you folks want to blame anybody for this, you might want to start with the political party that has kept the black minority as their personal voting block since the early 1950s.

Corporate America had nothing to do with it.

PS: Death doesn't have "throws". Death has "throes". This ain't baseball.

[churchill]

The coverage all seems a bit overblown to me considering what else is happening in the world

There are other fora and topics for those events. Why don't you go discuss them there?

why ? I said the coverage was overblown as part of this discussion

[losworld]

http://www.seattlepi.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Here-s-A-Breakdown-Of-The-Military-Style-Gear-5689948.php

The U.S. is increasingly becoming a militarized police state. The NSA, Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, ATF, half billion dollars in war equipment to militarize local police against their own people. Anyone who thinks the U.S. is still the great land of liberty and freedom it once was 30 years ago or more is delusional or just plain stupid. Protestors ramsacking and plundering Missouri businesses is plain wrong but understandable given the increased number of police shootings and further reinforced by trained snipers lining up unarmed protestors in their sights.

Edited August 17, 2014 by losworld

[churchill]

http://www.seattlepi.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Here-s-A-Breakdown-Of-The-Military-Style-Gear-5689948.php

The U.S. is increasingly becoming a militarized police state. The NSA, Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, ATF, half billion dollars in war equipment to militarize local police against their own people. Anyone who thinks the U.S. is still the great land of liberty and freedom it once was 30 years ago or more is delusional or just plain stupid. Protestors ramsacking and plundering Missouri businesses is plain wrong but understandable given the increased number of police shootings and further reinforced by trained snipers lining up unarmed protestors in their sights.

So what it is their country let the voters deal with it … perhaps the majority want a police state ?

[Ulysses G.]

Anyone who thinks the U.S. is still the great land of liberty and freedom it once was 30 years ago or more is delusional or just plain stupid. Protestors ramsacking and plundering Missouri businesses is plain wrong but understandable given the increased number of police shootings and further reinforced by trained snipers lining up unarmed protestors in their sights.

When I was a kid in the 1960s, there were no riots or protests and everyone got along just fine. Those were the good old days.

[thailiketoo]

Anyone who thinks the U.S. is still the great land of liberty and freedom it once was 30 years ago or more is delusional or just plain stupid. Protestors ramsacking and plundering Missouri businesses is plain wrong but understandable given the increased number of police shootings and further reinforced by trained snipers lining up unarmed protestors in their sights.

When I was a kid in the 1960s, there were no riots or protests and everyone got along just fine. Those were the good old days.

Detroit Race Riots 1960's. How quickly we forget. Things were a lot worse back then. 1943 Detroit race riots 40 killed. 1967 races riots hundreds killed thousands injured. The 1967 Newark riots were a major civil disturbance that occurred in the city of Newark, New Jersey between July 12 and July 17, 1967. The six days of rioting, looting, and destruction left 26 dead and hundreds injured. 1968: Nationwide riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Jackson State killings occurred on Friday May 15, 1970, at Jackson State College (now Jackson State University) in Jackson, Mississippi. On May 14, 1970, a group of student protesters against the Vietnam War, specifically the United States invasion of Cambodia, were confronted by city and state police. Shortly after midnight, the police opened fire, killing two students and injuring twelve.^[1] The event happened only 11 days after National Guardsmen killed four students in similar protests at Kent State University in Ohio, which had first captured national attention. Assignations? 2 Kennedy's, MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers.

The 60's were probably the most violent period of time in American history.

Edited August 17, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Credo]

Anyone who thinks the U.S. is still the great land of liberty and freedom it once was 30 years ago or more is delusional or just plain stupid. Protestors ramsacking and plundering Missouri businesses is plain wrong but understandable given the increased number of police shootings and further reinforced by trained snipers lining up unarmed protestors in their sights.

When I was a kid in the 1960s, there were no riots or protests and everyone got along just fine. Those were the good old days.

And there was a rail road track that ran through the town and some people lived on one side of the track and others on the other side and they didn't cross where they didn't belong. They had drinking fountains for people of different races, and bathrooms, and schools.

They also had a big problem with things like Polio.

It seems nice, when filtered through the lenses of time, but there were plenty of problems then too.