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inanna

(3,547 posts) Thu Mar 5, 2015, 01:40 AM Mar 2015

Ferguson police arrested protesters after release of Justice Department report

Source: Vox

Thursday, March 5, 2015

On Wednesday afternoon, the US Department of Justice released a searing report criticizing the Ferguson Police Department for disproportionately harassing, stopping, and arresting black residents in a pattern of racial bias, largely to raise revenue from fines and court fees. And, in a move that's sure to raise eyebrows among local law enforcement's critics, when a small number of protesters went to the police station Wednesday evening to demonstrate against the systemic racial disparities uncovered by the report, police began making arrests.

It's unclear how many protesters were on the scene, how many were detained, and what led to the arrests, but there are no reports so far of any violence on the part of the demonstrators.

Reporters and activists on the ground documented the scene:

23 degrees and protesters gathering at Ferguson PD hours after DOJ reports. pic.twitter.com/9qxcd99Alj
— Matt Sczesny KMOV (@KMOVMatt) March 5, 2015

Protesters are already getting arrested in #Ferguson tonight. Here’s an officer slamming someone on a car: pic.twitter.com/PvBvunxkRg
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) March 5, 2015

Read more: http://www.vox.com/2015/3/5/8152737/ferguson-protesters-arrests

23 minutes ago

Protesters chant outside Ferguson police department, four arrested

FERGUSON • Wednesday night, a group of about 50 protesters gathered in front of the Ferguson police department.

Some had come from a press conference where Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III spoke about the Department of Justice report released earlier in the day.

Protesters started out by chanting on the sidewalk, but soon moved into the street. About five Ferguson police officers responded and one asked the group twice over a loudspeaker to move, but the group refused. Protesters blocked traffic, occasionally allowing vehicles to drive through, and eventually Ferguson police vehicles parked at both ends nearby to block traffic.

Several more police officers arrived, and some walked into the street and told protesters to move. At least two protesters who sat in the street were arrested. Two legal observers were arrested, Democratic committeewoman Patricia Bynes said. All four arrested were women, she said.

Link: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/protesters-chant-outside-ferguson-police-department-at-least-two-arrested/article_41a50cf5-f516-59e5-89c6-d49adc15509d.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

9 replies

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Highlight:

Ferguson police arrested protesters after release of Justice Department report (Original Post) inanna Mar 2015 OP

Isn't there something in our sacred First Amendment about this? Midnight Writer Mar 2015 #1

On the sidewalks, yes, on the street, no. Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #6

Good for the protesters! That report is ugly, and more heat is needed. Comrade Grumpy Mar 2015 #2

You're right. Much more heat, and attention. The police department needs complete cleaning. Judi Lynn Mar 2015 #3

What people need to Remember. imthevicar Mar 2015 #4

Wonder what those law-breaking protesters were doing... ReRe Mar 2015 #5

Solution in Ferguson is simple vssmith Mar 2015 #7

keep arresting heaven05 Mar 2015 #8

Those who only have a shovel... Baitball Blogger Mar 2015 #9

Midnight Writer

(21,769 posts)

1. Isn't there something in our sacred First Amendment about this?

Reply to inanna (Original post)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 02:07 AM

Mar 2015

I mean, I saw news coverage of the anti-Obamacare protesters on the steps of the Supreme Court today, and they were not being arrested.

I guess my inferior government run public education didn't teach me how to process this dichotomy.

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)

6. On the sidewalks, yes, on the street, no.

Reply to Midnight Writer (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 08:23 AM

Mar 2015

Free speech rights do not extend to blocking traffic. There's plenty of legal precedent for this.

You also can't block ingress/egress, and since access to the police station is a public safety issue, these arrests will hold up as long as they were properly made (warnings, only arresting persons who were blocking rights of way).

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

2. Good for the protesters! That report is ugly, and more heat is needed.

Reply to inanna (Original post)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 02:50 AM

Mar 2015

The Ferguson PD should probably be disbanded, and the rot doesn't stop there. The judiciary there abets it, and the city basically shakes down its black residents to fund itself. Really ugly. And not unique.

Judi Lynn

(160,545 posts)

3. You're right. Much more heat, and attention. The police department needs complete cleaning.

Reply to Comrade Grumpy (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 03:13 AM

Mar 2015

Everything about it needs to be changed so nothing this dirty can happen this easily there again. Their nasty prosecutor needs to leave.

imthevicar

(811 posts)

4. What people need to Remember.

Reply to inanna (Original post)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 03:39 AM

Mar 2015

What people need to Remember is that all of these men; Hitler/Stalin/Mou/Pinochet'/Pol-Pot, and I sure you can all think of a few more. They were all just like anyone walking down the street, human. so as long as their are Humans their will be people like this, in positions of power. Be it petty or grand, they will be waiting for their chance to act, and the more they think they can get away with it, the more often and the worse they will act.

ReRe

(10,597 posts)

5. Wonder what those law-breaking protesters were doing...

Reply to inanna (Original post)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 04:10 AM

Mar 2015

... breaking the glass in the building? Blowing up squad cars? Throwing explosives at the building? What were those four women arrested for? Having the biggest mouths, er making the most noise? Why can't the police just go about their business and ignore the protesters, let them make all the noise they want to? A city ordinance against noise at a certain time of the day? The Police Dept surely isn't in a residential area, is it?

They (Ferguson pigs) probably felt they had to act up as an in-your-face to AG Holder after the statement.

Protest is going to continue until things really change in that town/county.

vssmith

(1,224 posts)

7. Solution in Ferguson is simple

Reply to inanna (Original post)

Thu Mar 5, 2015, 09:19 AM

Mar 2015

Black leaders in Ferguson have to offer themselves up to run for city offices. Then the Black electorate has to get out and vote, they are in the majority after all.