Did we riot over a criminal?

[n david]

When Capt Ron Johnson was given command of Ferguson, he stated his approach was that, "we're in this together." It was also claimed that he understood urban policing.

So much for that!

Oh sure, the first day he was put in charge, he had a nice show of walking with the protestors down the street.

But after that, the nights were still violent. And last night was so bad, the Governor called in the National Guard to help shut down the rioting.

“Peace and justice took a very different turn after dark,” Johnson said. “Molotov cocktails were thrown, there were shootings, looting, vandalism and other acts of violence that clearly appear not to have been spontaneous, but premeditated criminal acts.”

Johnson said this had nothing to do with civil disobedience, but was designed to damage property, hurt people and get police to respond.

“The situation first started to deteriorate with the shooting of a civilian on W. Florissant and Ferguson Avenues at approximately 8:25 p.m.,” he said.

Police responded to West Florissant and Ferguson and got the shooting victim to safety, but then the violence ramped up and police became the target.

“That was followed by shots being fired on officers, a number of Molotov cocktails being thrown, and then the looting,” Johnson said.

As night fell in Ferguson, another peaceful protest quickly deteriorated after marchers pushed toward one end of a street and authorities — who said they were responding to reports of gunfire, looting, vandalism and protesters who hurled Molotov cocktails — pushed them back by repeatedly firing tear gas. The streets were empty well before a state-imposed curfew took effect at midnight.

Source Link

"Based on the conditions, I had no alternative but to elevate the level of response," said Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, who is command in Ferguson.

Source Link

Capt. Johnson makes an absurd statement the press conference announcing the arrival of the National Guard, "When this is over," he told the crowd, "I'm going to go in my son's room. My black son, who wears his pants sagging, who wears his hat cocked to the side, got tattoos on his arms, but that's my baby."

"We all need to thank the Browns for Michael. Because Michael's going to make it better for our sons to be better black men."

Seriously? A guy who committed a strong-arm robbery just prior to his death -- that guy is going to make it better for their sons to be better black men?

SMH If MB and Trayvon are the examples for black kids now...