Showing posts with label Ferguson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ferguson. Show all posts

Thursday, 12 March 2015

Police shooting in Ferguson

This is coming through the wires now.
There are stories coming through just about every other day about US police brutality and racism with stories of unarmed people being shot dead, seemingly for no other reason that they are black. They are so frequent that I have stopped following them.
It is beyond insane. America is falling apart at the seams.

BREAKING: Shots fired at police in Ferguson - media reports

Protestors block a police vehicle from entering the City of Ferguson Police Department and Municipal Court parking lot in Ferguson Missouri, March 11, 2015 (Reuters / Kate Munsch)

RT,
12 March, 2015


At least two police officers have been shot during a protest outside Ferguson Police Station, according to reports by local media.

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Police take cover after two cops were shot in front of Ferguson PD on Thursday, March 12, 2015. Pic- @LaurieSkrivan


Multiple accounts of the turmoil outside the Ferguson police station have emerged on social media. One witness said on Twitter that a policeman had been shot in the face. The injured officers were taken away by ambulance. No report on their condition has been issued.

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Photo from @stltoday showing officer being loaded into ambulance after shooting in

The shooting reportedly broke out as the rally outside the police station was subsiding. Currently, the area is seeing a massive police presence, as many officers with high-powered rifles arrived at the scene.


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RT @NewsRevo: Carrying the officer away and guns drawn. | pic via @wyze43 | @NewsRevo pic.twitter.com/W0X8xoDltQ

Ferguson Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff told the St. Louis Post-Dispatchhe didn't think either of the officers were from his department. He also would not comment on the extent of their injuries.Eickhoff is currently interim police chief in Ferguson after Tom Jackson resigned from the post, officially stepping down on March 19.


One of the injured officers is from St. Louis County officer and the other is from Webster Groves, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, citing a police source.


READ MORE:Ferguson police chief resigns following DOJ report

Police reportedly say the department is under lockdown and describe what’s happening outside as an “active shooting scene.”

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Yeah--someone just shot at them. RT “@deray: Rifles drawn. Ferguson PD. pic.twitter.com/pfNoCQwNFH

The protests at Ferguson Police Department started after Jackson’s resignation on Wednesday. The man was the sixth city official to step down in the wake of DoJ report last week lashing out at Ferguson's courts and Police Department for racial bias.


READ MORE: 85% of Ferguson police force targets are black - DOJ


On Monday, state Judge Roy L. Richter was reassigned by the Missouri Supreme Court to take over all pending and future municipal cases from Ferguson. The high court said the move was intended “to help restore public trust and confidence,” adding that Richter would be authorized to implement any reforms needed to “ensure that the rights of defendants are respected and to help restore the integrity of the system.”


The report was prompted after the US saw a wave of large-scale protests against police brutality following the shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown by Ferguson policeman Darren Wilson in August last year. In November, a grand jury decided not to indict Wilson.

READ MORE:More than 150 detained in California as police killing protests reignite

READ MORE: Iraq? Afghanistan? Police gear up against Ferguson protesters (PHOTOS)

Thursday, 1 January 2015

Ferguson, Missouri

Protesters Occupy Ferguson Police Department
Demonstrators are protesting against the state-sanctioned police killings.


31 December, 2014

Protesters against police violence occupied the St. Louis Police Department in Ferguson Wednesday demanding that the “occupiers of the St. Louis Police Metropolitan Police Department … be removed from power.”

The Facebook page of We Copwatch released a statement saying, “Ferguson comrades have occupied the STL Police Dept as of right now!! Spread the word!”

This is the continuation of protests that have been happening around the U.S. for months in response to the pattern of state-sanctioned police killing.

Protests increased and were renewed after grand juries decided not to indict the white police officers who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York City, both of whom were unarmed and African-American.

These protests have initiated a national conversation about race, police violence, and justice.

The eviction notice served to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reads that, “You are hereby scheduled to be removed from power for the following reasons … Perpetrating police brutality on our citizenry … Transforming the police force into a militarized occupying force … Being complicit in mass incarceration of black and brown citizens … Failing to terminate police officers who violate civil rights including the most important right—the right ot life.”

This is from inside the PD today. The police applied pressure to the girl's face. Her mother intervened. https://vine.co/v/OwIzraaXrAT 

Monday, 1 December 2014

Demonstrations in Portland, Oregon

#DontShootPDX: 10 arrests, flash bangs in Portland at Ferguson support rally

Reuters / Adrees Latif



30 November, 2014


At least 10 activists, including one teenager, were arrested overnight in Portland, Oregon, amid on-going protests against a grand jury decision not to indict a white police officer for killing an unarmed black teen.

Officers arrested 10 people at Southwest 2nd Avenue and Main Street at approximately 11:15 pm [Saturday], after a large group of protesters laid down [sic] in the street and refused lawful orders to clear the roadway. Those arrested include nine adults and one juvenile,”Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said in a statement.
At least 400 protesters attended the rally dubbed DON'T SHOOT PORTLAND. The event was created on Facebook under the #DontShootPDX hashtag.
Officers have made a few arrests of protesters Downtown at SW 2nd & Main, telling others to leave and stay on sidewalk or face arrest.

According to the police, a larger group of people “was briefly detained” during the demonstration, but then they were “released and told to leave the area.”

Earlier, social media users shared a video in which police officials use flash bangs, a device designed to stun its target with a blinding flash of light and intense noise. Also Twitter users said police reportedly used rubber bullets to disperse the activists.

However, PPB said “no ‘rubber bullets’ were used as was being erroneously reported on Twitter.”
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My photog and I locked in area with protesters, told we can't leave @KGWNews @PortlandPolice

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My photog and I locked in area with protesters, told we can't leave @KGWNews @PortlandPolice
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Protesters at Pioneer Square

Today, Michael Brown is more alive than his killers,” he said, as cited by OregonLive.com.

According to Jackson, the jury remained elusive and found no wrongdoing from Darren Wilson, an officer who killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.

"The fact is, for three and a half months, this was no jury of substance," Jackson said. "No jury of integrity. No real America. This was a hangman's noose. It's not right, and we all deserve better."
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The police are even blocking the sidewalk at the solidarity march here in

Bob McCulloch, the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, announced the grand jury’s decision in the Michael Brown case on Monday evening. He said that “no probable cause exists” to file any charges against Wilson. A statement from Wilson’s attorney said his client had followed his training, as well as the law, when he shot Brown.

After the jury’s decision a wave of violent protests and peaceful marches swept over Ferguson and many other major US cities.

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March begins in after Jesse Jackson speaks. | LIVE http://revolution-news.com/live-video-from-ferguson-grand-jury-indictment/  | pic @CassieRamirez
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Rev. Jesse Jackson expected to speak at 7pm at Portland's Ferguson rally put on by "Don't shoot PDX" @fox12oregon
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protesters being arrested @KGWNews

Hugs not wars!

In the meantime, not everyone in Portland or the US wants to be at war with the police over Michael Brown.

A photo of a young demonstrator hugging a police officer amid the on-going protests in Portland went viral in social media. It was posted on the Instagram account of AP freelance photographer, Johnny Nguyen.



On Tuesday a 12-year old African-American boy Devonte Hart was standing in Portland downtown holding signs "You Matter" and "Free Hugs." He was trembling, tears were rolling down his cheeks, his mother told the local media.

Police Sgt. Bret Barnum who was standing a few meters away from the boy, noticed that the teen was crying and came to him. A father of two teenage sons, the officer saw the sign “Free Hugs” and asked Devonte if he might get a hug as well.

"Knowing how he struggled with police, his bravery and courage to catch my eye and approach me were impressive,"Barnum told AP. "And it's a blessing for me that I didn't miss an opportunity to impact this child."
The moment was about "listening to each other, facing fears with an open heart," he said.


I want to thank everyone who shared my photo today!!! You guys are playing a great role in spreading the message of hope and humanity as seen here in the photo of Sgt. Barnum and Devonte Hart. I also want to thank @theoregonian for being the first to publish my photo and writing the incredible story behind it. You guys are the best. I don’t really use Twitter but now I have a reason to. Follow me on Twitter @chambersvisuals to stay updated! Tune into NBC Nightly News tonight at 6:30 EST. They’re covering the photo and story as well! Spread love, Johnny.


On Tuesday a 12-year old African-American boy Devonte Hart was standing in Portland downtown holding signs "You Matter" and "Free Hugs." He was trembling, tears were rolling down his cheeks, his mother told the local media.


Police Sgt. Bret Barnum who was standing a few meters away from the boy, noticed that the teen was crying and came to him. A father of two teenage sons, the officer saw the sign “Free Hugs” and asked Devonte if he might get a hug as well.
"Knowing how he struggled with police, his bravery and courage to catch my eye and approach me were impressive,"Barnum told AP. "And it's a blessing for me that I didn't miss an opportunity to impact this child."

The moment was about "listening to each other, facing fears with an open heart," he said.


View image on TwitterView image on Twitter
@RealKyCampbell: pic.twitter.com/F1IpxQEf1s” damn


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This was an entirely peaceful protest. Close to dispersing as it was & then this showed up.

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Jackson: "we've come too far, and we're not going back."
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"We've got to get some forgiveness so we can move forward."