An Army in Ferguson tonight! Sporadic Twitter/Facebook censoring of #Ferguson hashtag

originally posted by: DoubleDNH

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
Police started arresting people, ordering everyone to disperse. I saw no violence from protesters.

Are you kidding me?

Violent Protestor #1

Violent Protestor #2

They are throwing molotov cocktails at the cops.. would you like them to sit there and just take it? These crowds are using this incident as an excuse to destroy buildings, loot personal property and cause mayhem.

FYI, according to CBS News and the photographer who snapped the first photo you linked, it was not a molotov cocktail:

CBS News - Photo: Protester Throws Tear Gas Canister Back At Police While Holding Bag Of Chips

I can't see for sure what they are lighting in the second photo, but the photographer did label that one that they were trying to light a molotov cocktail. It's not clear whether the molotov cocktail photo was taken before or after police started using the LRAD sound weapon and advancing, if that matters.

I tend to think police shouldn't have to stand and do nothing if molotov cocktails are being thrown at them but also people protesting shouldn't have to stand and do nothing if police advance on them using LRAD sound weapons, rubber bullets, and tear gas.

But that just leads to what Mahatma Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

Well, at least we POSSIBLY have some good news... depending how you feel about what Obama stated in his address earlier:

He's confirmed that the investigation has been officially escalated to a federal level, being handle jointly by both the FBI and the DOJ.

Not that that guarantees justice, but at least it's not an internal (non-existent) investigation.

Now whether it will or won't be corrupt....

a reply to: WhiteAlice

This was filmed by the other crew, so its getting coverage. If it really is the camera crew you said, then I could see that being done to suggest they're only targetting certain groups the public are less interested in protecting the rights of, whereas thats not true, and weren't there 2 camera crews affected in that video?

This whole thing seems to be quickly spiraling out of control and my biggest concern right now is that the riots will spread tonight to the other cities that are planning their own protests. If this happens, I fear that this will cost many lives.

originally posted by: LogicalRazor
Its my understanding from a friend that lives in the area, that people were crowding and acting wild in the middle of streets, like monkeys. They were not orderly protesting from the sidewalks and abiding by traffic laws. They were consistently ignoring requests to get out of the street.

If 500-1000 people are laughing at police, throwing trash, blocking streets & not listening to law enforcement...a regular uniformed traffic cop isn't going to help. I'm not a fan of militarized police, but the blacks in Ferguson brought this on themselves. They started acting like animals.

And now the racial epithets start. What a shocker.

a reply to: lynn112

Worry not. It won't spread. Cooler more rational minds are demilitarizing Ferguson, pulling the County police out and demanding disclosure of the investigation so far. Things will still be heated n Ferguson, but unlike some folks, Ferguson, St. Louis and all of our community are rational and want only justice. No one in Ferguson, St. Louis, or any other community here are fanning flames that don't exist.

a reply to: LogicalRazor

Did you really just refer to other humans as "the blacks"?

What is this, 1862?

Smh.

originally posted by: parad0x122
a reply to: Bone75

Where are you getting this from? As far as what I've read, there's absolutely 0 proof to prove that he tried to kill the cop.

There's only 0 proof if you totally disregard the cop's statement in favor of a story told by some thug with braids in his hair and tattoos covering his neck just like the criminals you see on the nightly news that are wanted for murder.

Yeah no thanks. In this case I'm giving the cop the benefit of the doubt until someone releases footage to prove he's lying.

Hey, wait a minute....did they file the proper paperwork for a protest?

"thug", "braids", "tattoos"

Relevant?

Nope.

Prejudiced?

a reply to: parad0x122

The president specifically referenced the actions of the police in Ferguson. “There is no excuse for police to use excessive force,” Obama said, “or to throw people in jail” for exercising their 1st amendment rights.

america.aljazeera.com...

He also condemned what occurred though I also might add with a degree of cynicism that he didn't condemn a whole lot of similar activity against Occupy nationwide. Still haven't forgotten that one, Obama...

originally posted by: Unity_99
a reply to: WhiteAlice

This was filmed by the other crew, so its getting coverage. If it really is the camera crew you said, then I could see that being done to suggest they're only targetting certain groups the public are less interested in protecting the rights of, whereas thats not true, and weren't there 2 camera crews affected in that video?

According to USA Today, the cameraman filming the entire thing was from KSDK and had been shot by a bean bag round. Hence why he said the remark about it "happening to them, too" so yep. Two camera crews across the street from each other and at the time of the Al Jazeera camera, it's pretty quiet on the street. Honestly, I think the sense of being targeted is what has created the nearly universal outcry from the press today.

A photojournalist with St. Louis television station KSDK, filming an altercation in which the police were involved, had his camera hit by a "bean bag round" fired from a rifle. KSDK journalists say they were never told to leave the area.

www.usatoday.com...

USA Today's Yamiche Aliminder got pretty terse in her tweets last night including saying this:

Police: We won't tolerate non peaceful action. (I've been here two hours and this group was not violent and did not riot."

twitter.com...

Gassing from Al Jazeera's POV:

america.aljazeera.com...

Do you know what I HATE?

I HATE when things happen that put me on a side that I don't want to be on.

I don't feel comfortable being on the side of the police. That is unfamiliar territory for me.

BUT where all of you see a military like police force, I see a bunch of grown boys who are excited to play with the toys that have been sitting there for years. What a great excuse to get them all out!

This whole situation justifies my reasoning as to why I could never be a cop. I would have done the same thing if some one reached through the window of my car, roughed me up and tried to take my gun. I'd shot him until he stops moving too. Now, if this wasn't a cop this never would have made the news.... because it's East St. Louis. Anyone who has ever been there knows you don't get caught in East St. Louis. You don't stop at stop lights, and you don't stop if someone stands in front of your car.

If it was any other place I'd have more compassion, but for a place that has such a bad reputation??? All I can say is.. I'm not surprised.

They shouldn't be bulling the press though. Or anyone for that matter, but it is good to see they have the balls to stand up to people who were destroying the area.

I know, I know. I am SO going to hell for this statement.

originally posted by: lynn112
This whole thing seems to be quickly spiraling out of control and my biggest concern right now is that the riots will spread tonight to the other cities that are planning their own protests. If this happens, I fear that this will cost many lives.

My city has an anti-police brutality protest planned for across the street from a specific police station and we're not a super big city. So yep, I'm guessing that protests are gearing up in other cities as well. Hopefully, it all remains peaceful.

a reply to: LogicalRazor

Gosh...maybe you should have watched the live feeds like we did last night. Instead of taking the racist word of your friend...if you are quoting your friend...yup racist. If your own words, then racist applies to you too.

IF you had watched the live feeds, as we did, you would have seen a racially mixed crowd of protesters.

Des

a reply to: mrsdudara

Really? Again? Grown boys with toys, eh? As far as our "seeing a militarized force" and you seeing grown boys with toys who are excited to play with them, I can tell you right now that the get ups that they were absolutely military. In fact, that's getting talked about.

abcnews.go.com...

Toys, eh? Tell that to the people that got bloodied by those "toys". Those "grown boys with toys" are supposed to be responsible police officers who are out there to protect and serve the citizens within their communities. This is what those "toys" those boys are playing with:

twitter.com...

Hell of a toy.

Sadly such things are now to be promulgated in computer games which will make it seem even more acceptable, particularly the young. This new installment of the Battlefield franchise has now taken a new direction and is about "cops & robbers." It's still even called Battlefield. I wonder if they'll have a level where you have to crush a peaceful protest?

I particularly enjoyed the part in the video at 20 seconds where the black guy is dragged out of a car and smacked about.

originally posted by: parad0x122
"thug", "braids", "tattoos"

Relevant?

Nope.

Prejudiced?

If he was anything but black with braids in his hair and tattoos covering his neck, I still wouldn't believe a word that came out of his mouth.

How about this one? Really glamorizes it.

These cops are provoking, and inciting more violence. These cops I would guess have Agent provocateur within the protests as well. And now it seems I have some proof of Provocateur Agents working to make matter worse. Or to help paint the peaceful protestors as violent offenders.

My proof

These cops are pretty much poking and making matters worse by saying what they have said. Telling them to "bring it".

Very uncalled for, and unprofessional! And these very cops get special treatment, and their due process.
Where was Mike Browns due process!

These folks have every right to protest as they are!! Every right!!! And now some cops are only trying to become Provocateur Agents.


I am so glad ATS and the world is watching, is keeping tabs on this. They need our support and help on this.. They do NOT stand alone!