Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that he is relieving St. Louis County law enforcement from policing the ongoing protests in the town of Ferguson, Missouri, placing the Highway Patrol in charge instead.
“We’ve all been deeply troubled by this crisis,” Nixon said, adding that the current crisis unfolding in the state “is not what Missouri is about.” He stated that Ferguson looks “like a war zone” lately, and added, “We need to rebuilt the trust that’s been lost” in the wake of Brown’s death and the use of police force on demonstrators.
The highly militarized police used rubber bullets, pepper spray, tear gas and sonic weapons even on peaceful protesters. They also went so far as to rough up and arrested 2 reporters, shoot another with rubber bullets, gas yet other press and confiscate cameras.
Nixon added that the Highway Patrol’s involvement will not affect the responsibility of those involved in conducting investigations into the killing of Brown and the protests that have taken place since his death. He confirmed that the Department of Justice is conducting a parallel investigation.
Nixon also touched on the controversy surrounding police refusal to identify the officer involved in Brown’s death. In response to a question at the press conference, Nixon said the official’s name should be released as “expeditiously as possible.”
Previously, Rep Wm. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) told Bloomberg News on Thursday morning that Gov. Jay Nixon, also a Democrat, had confirmed to him that county police will be pulled from their duties in Ferguson.
On Wednesday evening, protests in Ferguson for the fourth straight day appeared to resemble a war zone when militarized police began firing tear gas and non-lethal ammunition into the streets towards private residences. Two journalists, one from Washington Post and another from Huffington Post, were briefly detained while on assignment.
“The gov. just called me and he’s on his way to St. Louis now to announce he’s taking St. Louis County police out of the situation,” Rep. Clay told Derek Wallbank, a reporter for Bloomberg, early Thursday.
Earlier that afternoon, US President Barack Obama said during a press conference that he has spoken with Gov. Nixon and Attorney General Eric Holder, and had instructed federal officials to do everything they could to investigate Brown’s death and keep the situation in Ferguson calm. According to NewsChannel 5, the Justice Department will also be spending special prosecutors to Ferguson to assist in the investigation.
Source: rt.com
Photo: AFP Photo / Getty Images / Scott Olson
Even if this was a witch hunt on the towns part. It’s good to know that the militarized police forces have been checked by the American population. This event, even if was manipulated by the media, or a force planning on separating americans through racism, has created and revealed some serious issues. That will now be drawn on more publicly, there is a strong motion to remove the overly weaponized gear of the police force. Also, there is a company attempting to mount video cameras on all police members. Indeed, there is consideration of increasing the penalties of law upon those who swear an oath to uphold the common citizen.
Even if it has become a twisted version, this reality has the potential for creating a united future.
He should be relieving them of their jobs too. And make sure that the HWY Petrol watches their step and only does things properly
Let the inciters kill each other, less welfare and foodstamps.
Sending Black HWY patrolman should reduce tensions,but I don’t think it’s the answer !!!
Why not get rid of the people that don’t live there and bused in and paid to march.
Do these protestors have a job ?
GOOD FOR THE governor
NO! This should be turned over to the National Guard, that is what they are for (at least one of the things!)
black people need to learn how to act like civilized Humans. No need to riot & loot burn building & so on! The cop can’t do what they should be doing now trying to find the truth. Not when the blacks act like Savages! White people never did this when I White kid was shot by a cop.