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I think the main problem is that the militarization of the police since 9/11 has led all too many cops to think of themselves as soldiers.
http://fox2now.com/2014/08/14/despite-reports-swat-team-helped-al-jazeera-reporters-did-not-take-their-equipment/Well, this article came up. Sorry if I don't exactly trust the county police because I have yet to see the Al-Jazeera crew that this happened to make a statement.EDIT: Oh, hey, Here's the first person account. Guess what he doesn't say the police did?
So it's obviously just a police riot. Obviously none of the responsible will be punished, but perhaps some of the victims may escape legal repercussions.
No matter what happens, no matter what my last words may end up being, I want everyone to claim that they were: "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."
Aww, you guys rock. I feel the love... and the pitchforks and torches. Tingly!
The robber took a box of Swisher Sweets Cigars valued at $48.99. The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Michael Brown and 22-year-old Dorian Johnson, according to the reports.. . .Johnson, Brown's friend, told investigators that Brown "did take cigarillos," his attorney, Freeman Bosley, told MSNBC. Bosley said he was aware of video but had not seen it.
Okay, so since this topic hasn't gotten much attention I'll post about everything that's been going on since.* As you see in the video, cops fired on a peaceful protest with tear gas and rubber buckshot, and other photos show them with pepperball guns. No evidence that any actual live ammunition has been fired, though the cops have made spurious claims of the protesters shooting that are not backed up by any other evidence. A limited amount of looting and burning was done on the first night of the protests, and has not been repeated. Despite claims by the police of over a dozen cop cars being destroyed by rioters, there is likewise no evidence.* The Huffington Post and Washington Post had reporters in a local McDonalds filming the action. The county police (the riot cop/SWAT guys) burst in to kick everyone out, then arrested the reporters for not moving fast enough. The St. Louis chief of police was called and had no idea this was going on. Apparently the riot cops were essentially acting with no higher authority to control them and were basically allowed to roam free and act out their wannabe soldier power trips.* Al-Jazeera's reporters were shot with rubber buckshot and had a tear gas canister fired at them despite very obviously being the press (they had cameras and lights on tripods set up). The police came after driving them off and dismantled their gear. They later attempted to claim that the reporters were shot at by accident and the police hustled them into an APC for their safety and were just taking down their gear to help pack up. The reporters have called bullshit on them.* This afternoon, the governor officially pulled the county police out and had them replaced with the state police, led by Capt. Johnson (a black man who grew up in the neighborhood), which included many black cops. Shockingly enough, treating the protesters like human beings and allowing them to peacefully address their grievances calmed everything down immediately.* The protesters marched peacefully for the rest of the day and night, accompanied by regular uniformed police with no riot gear. Someone in the crowd was injured by a vehicle or fell ill and a police SUV took her to the hospital, with the New Black Panthers acting as impromptu traffic police. The St. Louis police chief arrived to meet with the protesters and take selfies.* NYC and St. Louis held their own protests. The NYPD temporarily corralled the protesters and 4 people were arrested (including Jason Woody, one of the big Occupy protesters), but the rest were allowed to exit the area. A live streamer filming it attempted to stir up the crowd by screaming that the cops would arrest thousands, but everyone in the crowd told him to shut the fuck up.
