Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Ferguson Rebellion Continues: Live Report
Ferguson police car on fire as African American masses rebel
against racist violence and the corrupt court system.
Published: 25/11/2014 at 12:44 PM
Online news:

FERGUSON (UNITED STATES) - 05:41 GMT - Overloaded - Attempts to access the St Louis County Prosecutor's office have failed – the site has been overloaded by visitors.

Police take position during clashes with protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, on November 24, 2014

05:40 GMT - Corrupt system - Josh, a 21-year-old sales representative in Ferguson has told AFP’s correspondent on the scene: "It shows that our justice system is corrupt.

"It shows that we have a long way to go and it shows today that justice hasn't been served for years and years. There's room for peaceful protests and there's room for violent protests."

Simmering anger

05:38 GMT - Racial prejudice - Ferguson's mainly African American community of 21,000 has been on edge for days, braced for further protests if Wilson wasn't indicted.

The mostly black suburb has an overwhelmingly white police force and residents complain of years of racial prejudice and heavy handed police tactics.

In the days leading up to the decision, Missouri's governor declared a state of emergency and called up the National Guard last week.

05:36 GMT - Rights investigation - Attorney General Eric Holder said that a separate federal civil rights investigation into the incident and Ferguson policing in general would continue.

05:35 GMT - Plea for calm - In a statement, the Brown family said: "We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions.

"We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful," the family added, calling for legal reform. "Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction."

05:34 GMT - No charges - St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said earlier that Wilson had fired 12 times after getting into an "altercation" with Brown, and that the jury had found no grounds to file charges.

McCulloch told reporters the evidence presented to the jury had shown Wilson had shot as a legitimate act of self-defense during a tussle that broke out as he was responding to a robbery.

He said the "altercation" had broken out as Wilson was sitting in his patrol car and Brown was standing at the window.

05:32 GMT - Store looted - An auto parts store is fully engulfed in flames as another auto parts store just metres down the road is being looted

05:26 GMT - Fires - The scene in Ferguson is one of chaos with armoured vehicles and a line of officers wearing gas masks and tactical gear moving down the street warning people that if they don't leave they will be arrested.

Several businesses have been looted with a number of buildings in flames.

Violence and marches

05:23 GMT - Marches spreading - Protest marches have begun in several more US cities. Outside the White House, a crowd is waving signs urging the government to "Stop racist police terror."

05:20 GMT - AFP reporter hurt - AFP journalist Loic Hofstedt has been injured in the violence.

He writes on Twitter: “Yeah caught brick in face, got first aid, standoff continues, stitches will wait. miraculously found my camera”

05:19 GMT - Looting - Looters have smashed their way into a mobile phone store opposite the police headquarters and ransacked it.

05:18 GMT - Violence erupts - Violent protests and looting erupted shortly after a grand jury chose not to press charges against Officer Darren Wilson a white officer who shot dead 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Despite appeals for calm from President Barack Obama and Brown's family an angry crowd outside the police station where Wilson had been based threw bottles and stones. A police car was set alight and stores looted.

Riot officers responded with teargas and flash grenades, and running battles broke out in the streets of the St Louis suburb.

05:07 GMT - WELCOME TO AFP'S LIVE REPORT on the ongoing violent protests in the US town of Ferguson where violent protests erupted after a grand jury chose not to press charges against a white officer who shot dead a black teen.

Members of an angry crowd outside the police station in Ferguson where Officer Darren Wilson had been based began throwing bottles and stones. Riot officers responded with teargas.

No comments: