Riots in Ferguson, Missouri after police shoot Michael Brown

Although this story has so far been largely unmentioned on national news, it's being covered on local TV and extensively on Twitter.

First, here's some background:

Some Ferguson, Mo., residents don't buy cops' story of fatal teen shooting

CBS News, August 10, 2014

Residents of a St. Louis suburb were outraged Sunday after a police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teenager. Officials say the officer was attacked, but CBS News' Julian Johnson reports many in the community are not satisfied with that explanation.

Angry protesters marched to the front door of the Ferguson, Mo., police department demanding answers one day after Michael Brown was shot and killed.

Police say the fatal shooting happened when the officer encountered two men on a street Saturday afternoon. They say one of the men pushed the officer back into his squad car and there was a struggle over the officer's gun.

"There was at least one shot fired within the car after that the office came back out of the car,". said St. Louis County Police Chief John Belmar. "He exited...his vehicle and there was a shooting that occurred where the officer shot the subject."

Dorian Johnson said he was with Michael Brown, and he gave a different account. Johnson said the officer pulled up next to the two teens and exchanged words with them before choking Brown and trying to pull him into the squad car. The officer, he said, then exited his car, fired a shot and chased after Brown, who was running for his life.

"We wasn't causing no harm to nobody [sic]," Johnson said. "We had no weapons on us at all. He shot again and once my friend felt that shot he turned around and put his hands in the air and started to get down, and the officer still approached with his weapon drawn and fired several more shots."

Nearby residents rushed to the scene, angered at what they say was an overreaction by the officer.

Continued here: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael...missouri-residents-do-not-believe-cops-story/

Updates on Twitter (top): https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ferguson

Updates on Twitter (all): https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ferguson?f=realtime

Local news coverage: http://fox2now.com/

Live news stream: http://new.livestream.com/ktvi/live

News updates: http://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Ferguson Brown&qft=sortbydate="1"

Latest videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ferguson&search_sort=video_date_uploaded

Here are some of the local reporters and photographers that have been providing updates on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AntonioFrench

https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump

https://twitter.com/BlackInk12

https://twitter.com/BradleyRayford

https://twitter.com/BrettBlumeKMOX

https://twitter.com/BrittanyNoble

https://twitter.com/CaseyNolen

https://twitter.com/CharlesJaco1

https://twitter.com/ChristinaKSDK

https://twitter.com/EliKMBC

https://twitter.com/EmilyRau

https://twitter.com/FOX2now

https://twitter.com/GIJoter

https://twitter.com/JBarro

https://twitter.com/JonSwaine

https://twitter.com/JulieBosman

https://twitter.com/KMOXnews

https://twitter.com/KSDKnews

https://twitter.com/PDPJ

https://twitter.com/MattdPearce

https://twitter.com/MichaelCalhoun

https://twitter.com/MichaelSkolnik

https://twitter.com/MWitthaus6

https://twitter.com/PaulSzoldra

https://twitter.com/RadleyBalko

https://twitter.com/RayDowns

https://twitter.com/RobertDEdwards

https://twitter.com/RocheMaddenTV

https://twitter.com/SkyFOXSTL

https://twitter.com/Tom_Winter

https://twitter.com/ValerieHahn

https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery

Tonight we've seen vandalism, looting, buildings burning, gunshots, SWAT teams, and teargas.

Here's another hashtag that's being used a lot:

(top) https://twitter.com/hashtag/FergusonRiot

(all) https://twitter.com/hashtag/FergusonRiot?f=realtime

It's also being covered on Reddit, at http://www.reddit.com/live/tdrph3y49ftn/

Many thanks for the links, TWG. Much appreciated.

Here's a good overview:

The Michael Brown shooting and aftermath: what we know about the unarmed teen's death

http://www.vox.com/2014/8/11/5988925/mike-brown-killing-shooting-case-ferguson-police-riots-st-louis

Anonymous 'hacktivists' take down Ferguson's website after Michael Brown killing | UPI

The "hacktivist" group known as Anonymous took over city of Ferguson websites on Sunday night after warning authorities that their treatment of protesters could have consequences.

The group warned the Ferguson Police Department that they were being watched and that abuse or harassment of protesters would result in Anonymous taking "every web based asset of your departments and governments off line."

Hackers got into the city of Ferguson's website Sunday night and none of the city's emails were working on Monday morning after the group dropped an "email bomb," according to KMOV.

All personal information was reportedly removed from the website on Saturday in anticipation of they cyber-attack.

"The time has come for more than simple justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand and say 'no more dead kids, no more police killings and beatings,'" Anonymous wrote in a press release. "Anonymous is drawing a line in the sand, and that line runs right down the middle of Main Street Ferguson, Missouri. Police impunity ends with the barbaric death of Mike Brown."

Continued here:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014...Fergusons-websites-Sunday-night/4231407771545

Anonymous takes action to protest police shooting of unarmed teen | Death and Taxes

Over the weekend, police in Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager who — according to a friend and witness — had his hands up in surrender. Police are telling a different story, saying that the incident was the result of a “physical altercation.” They left Brown’s body in the street for four hours.

The hacktivist collective Anonymous is now calling their side of the story bullshit, and is vowing to retaliate in what they’re calling #OpFerguson. They released the below video, explaining that the police have “crossed a line in the sand” and demands that the Missouri legislature introduce “Mike Brown’s Law” that will set “strict national standards for police conduct and misbehavior in the USA.”

Continued here:
http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/226...n-to-protest-police-shooting-of-unarmed-teen/

This had been posted yesterday:

Anonymous - Operation Ferguson #OpFerguson



Published by Anonymous Official on August 10, 2014

Anonymous - Operation Ferguson #OpFerguson

Here's the related Twitter account: https://twitter.com/@OpFerguson

News updates: http://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Ferguson Anonymous&qft=sortbydate="1"

Good work you guys!

Anonymous: Operation Ferguson Update



Published by TheAnonMessage on August 11, 2014

Anonymous reminds the people why we've taken this operation seriously, and our take on last night's events.

Right now police are trying to clear the streets, using teargas and smoke bombs.

Here's live video: http://new.livestream.com/ktvi/live

David Carson @PDPJ · 4m
Link to video from scene earlier in night when police moved in
http://video.stltoday.com/Ferguson-...26504491&freewheel=91130&sitesection=stltoday

Police teargas crowds protesting killing of Missouri teenager | RT USA

Violence has broken out again as authorities dressed in riot gear in a St. Louis, Missouri suburb – where an unarmed black teen was fatally shot by police over the weekend – have used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse a large crowd.

http://rt.com/usa/179640-ferguson-teenager-shooting-clashes/

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 17m
Raw Video: Intense scenes from today's protests and the subsequent violence by police
"Cops aim weapon at local official, lock media out as Ferguson protests continue"
www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/12/watch-cops-aim-weapon-at-local-official-lock-media-out-as-ferguson-protests-continue/

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 12m
BREAKING D0X RT: CHIEF OF #FERGUSON POLICE, Jon Belmar - We have you now:
MOD EDIT: LInk to dox removed

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 8m
So Jon, Mr. chief of police, you said our threats were just hollow. See, that makes us mad. You shouldn't challenge us. #Anonymous #Ferguson

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 23s
Kathryn...we know that's you on voicemail. #Ferguson #D0X #JonBelmar #Leaks #Anonymous

Name of officer who fired fatal shots to be released

Ferguson police will release the name of the officer who fired the shots that killed 18-year-old Michael Brown by Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Thomas Jackson with the Ferguson Police Department confirmed to NewsChannel 5 the officer's name will be released by 12 p.m. during a news conference.

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/loca...uson-officer-michael-brown-released/13910543/

Hands Up in Ferguson; Journalists Blocked From Reporting

We need to be talking about what is happening in Ferguson, MO right now.

After looting was reported on Sunday at the close of the vigil for Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager who was executed by a police officer, police and riot squads have stepped up their presence in the town. (It should also be noted that the police showed up in riot gear DURING the vigil, long before any looting or property damage occurred.) At this point, the police have closed off the entrances to the town, barred reporters from entering, and have turned their militarized presence on protesters. These are just a few of the reports, tweets and images that came out of Ferguson over night.

First - MSNBC has spoken to Dorian Johnson, a friend of Michael Brown and an eyewitness to the shooting. He reports that the police have thus far declined to take his statement (after being offered an interview via his legal representation).

http://groupthink.jezebel.com/hands-up-in-ferguson-journalists-blocked-from-reportin-1620050191

Michael Brown Shooting Witness Tells the Story

Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday in Ferguson, Missouri. As of Tuesday morning, the friend he was walking with at the time has yet to be interviewed by law enforcement. The story he’s told, in an exclusive report by MSNBC, does not match the still-vague official version of events St. Louis County police have shared so far, in which the 18-year-old Brown tried to get into the cop car and reached for the officer’s weapon.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/08/mike-brown-shooting-witness-speaks.html

FOX2now @FOX2now · 4m
#Ferguson PD now says it will NOT release name of officer involved in #mikebrown shooting. @RocheMaddenTV just confirms via @GIJoter

oe Lamie @GIJoter · 2m
#mikebrown family attorney says they are looking at options to force release of officer name. tells @RocheMaddenTV

Joe Lamie @GIJoter · 1m
Ferguson PD chief says after attacks on officer's last night, not safe to release cop's name.

Joe Lamie @GIJoter · 18s
Live report with latest info on cop's name release coming up on @FOX2now at 9:30am.

http://new.livestream.com/ktvi/live

LOL FAT SLEEPING COP



https://twitter.com/CanIBeRell/status/499199506664009730

https://twitter.com/only1Smooth/status/499198964089241600

Police in Ferguson Fire Tear Gas on Protesters Standing in Their Own Backyard | Riverfront Times

By Ray Downs

leave the area and firing tear gas onto the streets. Police even fired tear gas into the backyard of a home where several people held their "hands up" in what's become a symbol of protest over the shooting of Michael Brown.

Daily RFT caught the melee on video.

The incident occurred after police had already evacuated nearly everybody on West Florissant Avenue. Between tear gas firings, a police officer bellowed "go home" into a loudspeaker. It took about an hour, but nearly everybody within vicinity of the police left the streets.

Yet a group of four male protesters remained defiant on West Florissant, screaming profanities at the police and putting their hands in the air. The police responded with threats of tear gas.



"Turn around and leave or we will deploy gas," shouted a police officer through a loudspeaker. Residents in their back yards pleaded for the men to get out of the street. After a few minutes of prodding, they did so. But the police still decided to advance.

Standing in his back yard along with a few friends and family was 24-year-old Rich West. And after seeing the police deploy tear gas as they marched down the empty street, West and his friends felt like protesting.

"You go home! You go home!" they chanted. As the police come closer, they all put their hands up.

Once again, the police officer with the megaphone ordered the protesters to go home.

"We're in our yard!" they responded.

At one point West walked to his fence with his hands high up in the air.

"This my property! This my property!" he shouted, prompting police to fire a tear gas canister directly at his face. He moved at the last second.

"This my shit!" West screamed irately after narrowly avoiding the gas canister. Eventually a friend grabbed him and pulled him back to calm him down.

"This is my backyard! This is my shit!" West continued screaming into the camera. He turned to the police: "Y'all go the fuck home!"

"This is our home. This is our residence," West's brother added. "Why do you think people say 'fuck the police?' Because of that shit."

Flora Busby, West's mother, a soft-spoken woman in her 60s, came into the backyard to see if her sons were alright.

"We in our backyard!" she said. "Why you gotta shoot us?"

Again West shouted at the police. And again they fired another gas canister into the yard -- this one nearly hitting his house.

"It's pure ignorance," West responded after catching his breath. "I pay property taxes here. I should be able to be in my back yard any time."

He said that regular harassment by the Ferguson police department, often in the form of traffic stops, has been occurring ever since he was sixteen years old.

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/da...sters_with_hands_up_in_their_own_backyard.php

SkyFOX Helicopter @SkyFOXSTL · 35s
Protesters on the steps of the #STL County Police Department in Clayton

Operation Ferguson @OpFerguson · 59m
We know his name already. We are just trying to confirm and dox him. Everyone be patient, we don't want to be wrong. | @YourAnonNews

Michael Brown witness: Police allegedly turn down offer of interview

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...e_allegedly_turn_down_offer_of_interview.html

After the guy who shot this video of himself, he dropped his camera. Someone picked it up and uploaded the video.

Others had gotten his license number, and he has been identified. On Twitter, some are claiming he's a St. Louis cop.

https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=Brandon Dix

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 1h
Put this in perspective: if we're doing all this to the chief of police, imagine what we have in store for the shooter. #Ferguson

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 12m
Jon Belmar, if you dont release the officer's name, we're releasing your daughter's info. You have one hour. #Ferguson

Operation Ferguson @OpFerguson · 2m
We are in the process now of making a final confirmation on the name of Mike Brown's murderer. It will be released the moment we receive it.

Operation Ferguson @OpFerguson · 1m
Please be patient with us, we do not want to finger an innocent person for this barbaric crime. Even if that person is a cop. | #OpFerguson

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 42s
We have recognized that releasing vital information on Belmar's family is damaging to the overall message of justice for Mike Brown.

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 30s
We will therefore cease in releasing any more information on Belmar's family. We still continue to demand the release of the officer's name.

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 42s
We recognize that Jon Belmar has had enough damage done to him. We will save the rest of our energy for the true perpetrator. #Ferguson

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 1m
We cannot be responsible for jeopardizing the investigation or demoralizing the movement.

Tom Winter @Tom_Winter · 37m
According to FAA, temporary flight restriction for aircraft flying under 3,000 feet in Ferguson, MO. Essentially eliminating TV newscopters.

Tom Winter @Tom_Winter · 35m
FAA says flight restriction over Ferguson which hinder news coverage is "TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES."

President Obama Calls Shooting of Missouri Teen 'Heartbreaking' | ABC News

President Obama said today that the police shooting death of unarmed Missouri teen Michael Brown was "heartbreaking," and he urged those who are upset over the incident to remain calm.

<snipped>

"The death of Michael Brown is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and his community at this very difficult time," Obama said.

"I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding," the President said in a statement. "We should comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. Along with our prayers, that’s what Michael and his family, and our broader American community, deserve."

Obama emphasized that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice will be investigating the shooting as well as local police in St. Louis County, Missouri.

More at http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-releasing-cop-missouri-teen-shooting/story?id=24941866

Anonymous Backs Off Its Threat to Dox Ferguson Police Chief's Daughter

http://gawker.com/anonymous-backs-off-its-threat-to-dox-ferguson-police-c-1620336931

Tom Winter @Tom_Winter · 7s
Police respond to @NBCNews on request for flight restrictions over Ferguson and criticism over limiting press flights
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...o-fly-zone-enacted-over-missouri-town-n179011

Operation Ferguson ‏@OpFerguson 1m
We have a deep source, and we have a name we BELIEVE to be the shooter. It does NOT match any of the names being floated. | #OpFerguson

Three Days Later, POTUS Releases Standard Statement On Michael Brown & Ferguson

Critics were very quick to point out that the president issued a statement on Robin Williams passing within three hours of the news. Meanwhile, it’s taken him three days to say anything publicly regarding Michael Brown. Many Twitter users took note and commented on the president’s presence or lack thereof.

http://uproxx.com/smokingsection/2014/08/president-obama-michael-brown-statement/

Police Militarization In Ferguson

By Paul Szoldra, Business Insider

While serving as a U.S. Marine on patrol in Afghanistan, we wore desert camouflage to blend in with our surroundings, carried rifles to shoot back when under enemy attack, and drove around in armored vehicles to ward off roadside bombs.

We looked intimidating, but all of our vehicles and equipment had a clear purpose for combat against enemy forces. So why is this same gear being used on our city streets?

On Saturday, a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed black man. In the days that have followed, the town with a population about 21,000 has seen massive protests in response to the shooting, as some witnesses said Brown had his hands up when he was killed.

Putting aside what started the protests for a moment, it's worth discussing the police response to the outrage. In photos taken on Monday, we are shown a heavily armed SWAT team.

They have short-barreled 5.56-mm rifles based on the military M4 carbine, with scopes that can accurately hit a target out to 500 meters. On their side they carry pistols. On their front, over their body armor, they carry at least four to six extra magazines, loaded with 30 rounds each.

Let's be clear: This is not a war zone — even if the FAA banned flights under 3000 feet. This is a city outside of St. Louis where people on both sides are angry. Protesters have looted and torched a gas station, and shots were fired at police, according to The Washington Post.

The scene is tense, but the presence of what looks like a military force doesn't seem to be helping.

"Bring it. You fucking animals, bring it," one police officer was caught on video telling protesters. In Ferguson and beyond, it seems that some police officers have shed the blue uniform and have put on the uniform and gear of the military, and brought the attitude along with it.

Continued at http://www.businessinsider.com/police-militarization-ferguson-2014-8

The author on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulSzoldra

Also:

Radley Balko @radleybalko · 5h
Summary of scary shit: Heavily militarized police presence in Ferguson. Protests banned. Journalists threatened. News helicopters barred.

Radley Balko @radleybalko · 59m
I'll be on @allinwithchris at 8:40 ET tonight to talk about Ferguson and police militarization.

Things have been pretty quiet and peaceful tonight.

Something crazy just happened.

Jon Swaine @jonswaine · 3s
Possibly drunk driver just drove at speed at the police line, stopping excruciatingly close.

Keep on keeping on The Wrong Guy. You were always a stalwart. Glad to see you keeping up the fight.

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 29m
BREAKING: Instead of dispersing, protesters got on their knees with their hands up.



TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 28m
EYEWITNESS: "Police have thrown something at the crowd. Not sure what. They have enough bullets for everybody down here." #Ferguson

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 12m
VIDEO BREAKING: Demonstrators yell "FUCK THE POLICE"
https://vine.co/v/MYJd1YrzanA

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 1m
Damn, I miss the @Scientology days...

David Carson @PDPJ · 56m
#Ferguson crowd gone, crowd showed restraint, chanted & yelled at police then left, scene now empty, only media here

David Carson @PDPJ · 4m
#Ferguson QuikTrip area empty cops moving out quickly to new area unsure of what's going on, reports of gunfire

David Carson @PDPJ · 57s
#Ferguson have moved to W Florissant and Chambers I'm on outside of scene flash bangs deployed, cops searching wooded area guns drawn

David Carson @PDPJ · 15s
#Ferguson tear gas being deployed can't see it but cops are talking about it

Lynden Steele @manofsteele · 46s
Great images by @kodacohen and @pdchris of police firing tear gas and a man throwing it back.



http://www.stltoday.com/gallery/new...ion_66504578-b256-50fd-b6a1-8154319f56c6.html

TheAnonMessage @TheAnonMessage · 2m
PHOTO: #MikeBrown lays dead on the ground as his killer stands over. #Ferguson