An overwhelming group of SWAT forces in riot gear has descended on protesters who gathered once again in Ferguson, Missouri, on Wednesday. After nightfall, police deployed tear gas against the crowd, warning the protest was “no longer peaceful.”
“This is no longer a peaceful assembly. Go home or be subject to arrest,” police warned through the loudspeaker, shortly before shooting tear gas at the protesters. Prior to that officers were telling people to stay away from the vans.
Police were also shooting rubber bullets while smoke grenades and tear gas canisters were falling into the crowd and surrounding neighborhood. Meanwhile, some of the protesters reportedly threw rocks and bottles at the police.
If #Ferguson was happening in another country the US Military would currently be consdering arming the people against the oppressors.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) August 14, 2014
INCREDIBLE PHOTO: POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS AND RUBBER BULLETS AT PROTESTERS IN FERGUSON. VIA @syndicalismspic.twitter.com/qMxxGLXuF3
— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) August 14, 2014
Central street in #Ferguson now scattered with tear gas canisters after riot police clash with protesters yet again pic.twitter.com/K6hX7Mt5Qg
— Anastasia Churkina (@NastiaChurkina) August 14, 2014
BREAKING PHOTO: Riot police fire tear gas canisters on Aljazeera news crew in #Ferguson. @ajampic.twitter.com/pZV6GzLXpi
— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonMessage) August 14, 2014
Just saw teargas land right at feet of al-Jazeera America camera crew. They say they were also shot at pic.twitter.com/tbMSlENDlV
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) August 14, 2014
Protesters were holding their hands up and chanting “we are peaceful” as the police line pushed forward dispersing the crowd.
However, there were reports of several rioters throwing Molotov cocktails at the police.
Protesters try unsuccessfully to light a Molotov cocktail as police ready to advance in #Ferguson Pic by @pdchrispic.twitter.com/BirlJAfI8H
— Lynden Steele (@manofsteele) August 14, 2014
“Your right to assembly is not being denied,” police were telling the protesters before the sudden showdown.
Following the death of 18-year-old Ferguson teenager Michael Brown – he was shot by a police officer last weekend despite being unarmed – residents in the area have continued to put on public demonstrations against the police, who they believe acted with excessive and unnecessary force.
When they gathered again on Wednesday, they found themselves facing down dozens of SWAT team officers, who showed up to a reportedly peaceful protest fully armed and pointed their guns towards the crowd.
According to Huffington Post reporter Ryan J. Reilly, at least 70 SWAT officers showed up to the demonstration. Police apparently told the crowd to move, offering no explanation and saying simply, “This is not open for discussion.”
Protesters also snapped images of an armored vehicle near the demonstration – a truck described by some participants as a “tank.”
Military-style police in overwhelming show of force: 3 APCs, ~100 officers, high-powered rifles #Fergusonpic.twitter.com/joc9ZnPuqM
— Sebastian Walker (@sebwalker) August 13, 2014
I counted 70+ SWAT officers. Guns trained on crowds. Insanity. pic.twitter.com/stev2G6v4b
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 13, 2014
The show of force follows another controversial police intervention from earlier this week, in which officers used teargas and shot rubber bullets in order to break up the large crowds that gathered in the area.
Ferguson riots: Clashes, looting in Missouri following vigil for teen shot dead by police
Additionally, the Guardian’s Jon Swaine said he watched officers handcuff two reporters at the gathering and place them in a police vehicle. When he tried to confirm the identities of those detained, police in riot gear marched towards him and threatened to cuff him as well.
Those reporters turned out to be Reilly of the Huffington Post and Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post. Lowery tweeted that both of them were released with no charges, but added that he saw an African American man in a police truck screaming for a paramedic only to be ignored by police.
“I’m dying. I’m dying,” the man reportedly screamed. “Please call help.”
#Fergusoncops moved down street stirred up crowd, have reestablished police line just south of QT, crowd quiet again pic.twitter.com/SwqG0wXziD
— David Carson (@PDPJ) August 13, 2014
Clowns RT @WilliamsJon: Not #Iraq but USA MT @sebwalker: #Ferguson police in military gear arriving on APCs pic.twitter.com/ybh2dPtoDw
— paul mcleary (@paulmcleary) August 14, 2014
This. RT @grasswire: State Senator asks the #Ferguson police chief if she's going to be gassed again. http://t.co/uCDcD5IkoW
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) August 13, 2014
The difference between the United States and the Egyptian revolution? Nothing. #Fergusonpic.twitter.com/i6PHKc8NY7
— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonMessage) August 14, 2014