Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Violent criminals in Ferguson traveled from as far as NY and California, at night criminals use peaceful protesters as shield says Capt. Ron Johnson-LA Times

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8/19/14, "31 arrested in Ferguson unrest, some from CA and NY, officer says," LA Times,

"As another night of peaceful protests over the police killing of an unarmed black man devolved into confrontation and confusion, the Missouri State Highway Patrol officer in charge of law enforcement in this St. Louis suburb said 31 people had been arrested as of 2 a.m. Tuesday, some from as far away as California and New York

The arrests underscore that outsiders are making trouble during the protests that have followed the Aug. 9 shooting of Michael Brown, 18, by a Ferguson police officer, Capt. Ron Johnson said at a news briefing.

At one point during the night, he said, officers “came under heavy gunfire” but did not return fire. 

“This was not an act of protesters," he said. This was an act of violent criminals.” 

Monday night's vandalism included two fires, he said  -- one at a business, the other at an unoccupied residence. At least two people were shot, he said; he did not know their conditions. Officers used an armored vehicle to rescue one of the gunshot victims, he said. Earlier, he told CNN that the gunfire came from protesters, not from police.

At the early morning news briefing, Johnson displayed two guns and a Molotov cocktail that officers had confiscated.

“Protesters are peaceful and respectful. They don’t clash with police. They don’t throw Molotov cocktails,” he said. 

Johnson urged protesters to come out only in the daylight so that provocateurs could not hide behind peaceful crowds

Earlier, Johnson told CNN that attacks on police had prompted the decision to fire tear gas and begin arresting those who defied orders to disperse. 

Officers heard gunfire and shots were fired at their vehicles, he said. Plastic water bottles, some of them frozen, were thrown at police staging areas. And a large group of protesters advanced on officers, he said."...




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