Curfew in riot-hit Missouri suburb

[jakeXT]

Last edited Sat Aug 16, 2014, 05:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: BBC

The governor of the US state of Missouri has declared a state of emergency in the St Louis suburb where a black teenager was shot dead by police last week.

Jay Nixon also said a curfew would run from midnight local time (05:00 GMT) until 05:00 (10:00 GMT) in Ferguson.

...

Governor Nixon said that although many protesters were making themselves heard peacefully, he would not allow a handful of looters to endanger the community.

"We must first have and maintain peace. This is a test. The eyes of the world are watching," Mr Nixon said. "We cannot allow the ill will of the few to undermine the good will of the many."

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28824157

[DRoseDARs]

1. Well that's not going to help.

For the most part, it seems folks have been calm with the state highway patrol being posted. Enforcing a curfew is going to change that...

[Louisiana1976]

3. That's right. The curfew will just make people angrier.

[JimDandy]

29. Yes, creating a modern day SunDown town will certainly make them livid

[George II]

15. They weren't calm last night.

[DRoseDARs]

26. FOX News and other yellow journalism spigots would give that impression, yes.

Members of the community have started blockading businesses... against looters. Even taking down license plate numbers for the, well, not the local police I would imagine.

[George II]

27. I guess you didn't see the photographs of the "activity" last night.

[DRoseDARs]

28. You keep trying to troll, but no one is taking the bait (well, other than the governor).

There's a reason I posted the qualifier, and a reason I pointed out the community's response. But no yeah sure, you just go ahead and keep on keeping on.

[earthside]

2. The Press Conference ... Disaster

Gov. Jay Nixon is a great example of a leader way, way out of his depth -- he is absolutely clueless.

He just doesn't get what is going on. He has almost disappeared from his own press conference.

By contrast Capt. Ron Johnson, the state high patrol office in charge of security in Ferguson now, is in control, is confident and is encouraging.

And where is the mayor of Ferguson?

And why can't the crime investigators and government justice officials answer these people's questions about Michael Brown's killing?

This situation is still spiraling out of control because the city, county and state government do not understand what is really going on, why people are angry and why justice being stonewalled is a prescription for more frustration and cynicism.

[jwirr]

21. Yes, he says "The whole world is watching" and "This is a test". He right but the local, county and

state government is who is being watched and tested. But especially it is the crime investigators who are under the eye of the world. They have the answer to this whole thing and they are acting like they are too dumb to know it.

Questions for all of them:

Do you know where the murderer is?

Do have an incident report?

Do you have an autopsy?

Are you going to release this information to the public?

[olddad56]

4. I can see a lot of arrests for violating the curfew.

not a smart move.

[christx30]

13. Better than a shop owner in the area shooting looters. n/t

[Syntheto]

14. Which is going to happen...

... the Highway Patrol stood by last night and let the looters do their thing. The so-called authorities have put people's defense of life and property in their own hands.

Wait until the NRA gets the meme out on this.

Maybe that's the plan.

[justiceischeap]

16. Actually, your facts are off

The authorities were overrun by the looters last night and the community policed itself--which, IMO, is not a bad thing in this situation.

[ripcord]

20. I'm getting flashbacks

I remember the Rodney King riots in L.A. and seeing armed businessmen on the roofs of their stores.

[arcane1]

5. Let me guess: They'll start arresting people at 11:55 pm

[Manifestor_of_Light]

6. Lots of heckling and hard questions asked.

The feces have hit the rotary air moving device.

[In_The_Wind]

7. Indeed!

[AngryOldDem]

8. Well, if they were upfront with their handling of this from the start...

...what did Nixon, et. al., expect?

I do have the utmost respect for the representative of the black lawyers' group as well as Ron Johnson. Blessed are the peacemakers.

God. Can this possibly get any worse?

Someone on MSNBC just put it very well: You can express your right to free speech -- except when the sun goes down.

And Nixon looking like he can't understand the rage????

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. Rich white guy being clueless, is what it looks like to me.

[AngryOldDem]

11. Pretty much.

Just disgusting.

[justiceischeap]

17. I just can't believe he doesn't have an advisor who would say, "Wait, Governor, bad idea"

think of the optics. Rich white guy imposes curfew on majority black community. That doesn't look good any day of the week.

[Gore1FL]

9. Dumb move.

The test now will be how they enforce this.

[Strelnikov_]

12. Release of the tape by the Ferguson PD is having it's intended effect

The step in the right direction of transfer of control to a more professional force (State Patrol) was torpedoed by the release of the tape.

Design, or sheer incompetence?

[George II]

18. "It's intended effect"? What does that mean?

The fact is that the people demanded the release of the tape, but they didn't like what it showed.

As one of the commentators said, they can't have it both ways. They can't insist on getting the information and then getting angry when they don't like it.

[FormerOstrich]

19. No one demanded to see the video because no one knew it existed.

The demand was for answers (i.e. Police Report) on the shooting. They still have not released that.

The situation in Ferguson did a complete turnaround in 24 hours by having the State Patrol (Ron Johnson's) lead. So what happens? Representatives for the St Louis County LE whined and complained about having their toys taken away. Followed by the Press Conferences about the "Strong-Arm Robbery".

You can't tell me anyone thought there wasn't going to be more anger incited by the way they handled it. Not to mention, they didn't alert the parents or Johnson in advance. After six days they plop it out there and say digest this for awhile.

Last night the protesters, for the most part, moved out when the looting started.

My assessment. Intended Result!

[jwirr]

22. Absolutely.

[negoldie]

24. Maybe they (Fergeson Police) are

looking at tainting the jury pool if one is convened. Trying not only to save this murderer's ass but think about what the killer has on so many other assholes in the department. Crazy theory but crazier things happen...

[George II]

25. The still pictures were released earlier, then the people demanded to see the entire video.

[Strelnikov_]

30. Hey, you win n/t

[George II]

31. Truth always does!

[savalez]

34. You might be missing the inference.

The "hey you win" appears to be the equivalent of "whatever dude". But, hey, whatever dude.

[LanternWaste]

38. The interpretations of a truth seemingly win more often than not. Good branding does that.

The interpretations of a truth seemingly win more often than not. Good commercial branding does that.

[Strelnikov_]

23. "Justice Dept asked Ferguson NOT to release video"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/16/1322171/-New-York-Times-Justice-Dept-Asked-Ferguson-Police-not-to-Release-Video

A United States law enforcement official said Saturday that the Justice Department had “opposed the release of the robbery video.”

The Ferguson police had wanted to release the video on Thursday, the official said, but the Justice Department asked them not to because of concerns “it would roil the community further.”

The release of the video on Friday “occurred over the objection of federal authorities,” said the official, speaking on ground rules of anonymity to describe discussions between a federal agency and a local police force.

[savalez]

33. Commentator? Where? Fox news?

[George II]

36. It was Don Lemon

[George II]

37. My it got awfully quiet in here all of a sudden

[LanternWaste]

39. I do receive such bemusement by the child who pretends he's won a game he has no idea how to play.

I do receive such bemusement by the child who pretends he's won a game he has no idea how to play.

[savalez]

32. Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D) said it best

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5387168

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

35. Sundown Towns in full effect! Racism in the Democratic Party on display. Thanks for proving me right

Governor Nixon!