FERGUSON, Mo., Aug. 11 (UPI) — Hundreds of protesters clashed with police late Monday into Tuesday, marking the second day of unrest after police shot and critically injured a teen accused of opening fire on them.
Police arrested 23 people overnight, adding to more than 100 other arrests made during the day in various demonstrations. Crowds scuffled with police, some throwing bottles, rocks and frozen water bottles at law enforcement, the St. Louis County Police Department said.
The protests Monday evening began with a few dozen people standing in the streets and on the rooftops with hand-written signs. By nightfall, hundreds gathered by West Florissant Avenue, the area where Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed teen Michael Brown back in August 2014, sparking weeks of civil unrest. When protesters refused to move from the streets, officers started making arrests and dousing people in irritant. By 1 a.m., much of the crowd dispersed.
“Of course I’m worried,” said Sandy Sansevere, a retired health care worker who volunteers at the retail store operated by the nonprofit group I Love Ferguson, which was formed after Brown’s death. “What scares me are the guns.”
At the same time, the Oath Keepers, a self-described patriot group, arrived in Ferguson early Tuesday with assault rifles and wearing bulletproof vests, adding an extra dose of tension to an already anxious area. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said their presence is “both unnecessary and inflammatory.”
At one point, Twitter users became angered when police allegedly arrested a “12-year-old girl.” Police were quick to point out her ID showed she was 18.
At the same time, the Oath Keepers, a self-described patriot group, arrived in Ferguson early Tuesday with assault rifles and wearing bulletproof vests, adding an extra dose of tension to an already anxious area. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said their presence is “both unnecessary and inflammatory.”
Monday, St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger declared a state of emergency after some 50 people were arrested in St. Louis. Among those arrested at the “Day of Civil Disobedience” march included DeRay Mckesson and Johnetta Elzie, prominent activists in the Black Lives Matter movement, and Princeton University professor and civil rights activist Cornel West.
