FERGUSON – INTERNATIONAL – Another night of violence in Ferguson Missouri. Police officers came under what Captain Ron Johnson said was “Heavy gunfire”, and he added “Not a single bullet was fired by officers despite coming under heavy attack”.
Thirty-one people were arrested overnight in Ferguson, a suburb of Missouri. State Police confiscated two handguns from protesters, as well as what Police stated was a Molotov Cocktail.
Law enforcement officials responded with tear gas and stun grenades as they attempted to disperse the crowd.
Captain Johnson said the thirty-one people had been arrested as of 2:00AM EDT. Johnson told reporters that some of those were not from Ferguson or the surrounding area, but came from as far away as New York and California.
He urged those who want to continue to demonstrate to do so during the day, to avoid what he called the “dangerous dynamic of the night.”
The demonstrations have been going on since 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by a policeman on August 9. While many protesters have demonstrated peacefully, there have been outbreaks of violence and looting.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon stated, “Following coordinated attacks last night both on civilians and law enforcement officers, I signed an executive order directing the Missouri National Guard to help restore peace and order in Ferguson. The Guard’s immediate and limited responsibilities under the direction of Colonel Ron Replogle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, are to provide protection, and ensure the safety of our Unified Command Center, which was the target last night of a coordinated attack. The Guard will concentrate its resources on carrying out this limited mission.
“Missouri National Guard Brigadier General Gregory Mason will oversee Guard operations in Ferguson under the overall command of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
“With these additional resources in place, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement will continue to respond appropriately to incidents of lawlessness and violence, and protect the civil rights of all peaceful citizens to make their voices heard. We will not use a curfew tonight.
“Again, I join the people of Ferguson, and all Missourians, in strongly condemning the violent acts we saw last night, including the firing upon law enforcement officers, the shooting of a civilian, the throwing of Molotov cocktails, looting and a coordinated attempt to overrun the unified Command Center.
“We are all frustrated and looking for justice to be achieved regarding the shooting death of Michael Brown. As the dual investigations continue into what happened nine days ago at Canfield Green, we must defend Ferguson from these violent interlopers so that the peaceful protests can operate in peace and the search for answers and justice can continue.”
FILES: DAILY MOTION / REUTERS
