Ferguson state of emergency stands, 150 people arrested

About 150 people have been arrested during several days of protests around Ferguson, Missouri, where largely peaceful demonstrations over police shootings of unarmed black men have been punctuated by flashes of violence.

Police said on Tuesday that 22 people had been arrested overnight in Ferguson and another 63 were arrested for trying to block a highway.

On Monday, 57 people were arrested for passing barricades that blocked a federal court in St Louis.

A state of emergency declared on Monday was still in effect for the Ferguson area, where protesters have been marching and staging acts of civil disobedience to mark the first anniversary of the shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer.

Sunday night’s rallies were marred by violence that included a drive-by shooting and several instances of rocks and bottles being hurled at police. A man accused of firing on police was shot and critically wounded.

After former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot Brown a year ago in the city, where the population is predominantly black, a US Justice Department investigation found systemic racial bias among Ferguson officials.

A grand jury cleared Wilson of any wrong doing in the incident.

Brown’s death prompted greater scrutiny of racial bias within the US criminal justice system. It also gave rise to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which gained momentum after unarmed black men were killed by police in New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati.

Michael Brown’s father, Michael Brown snr, said on Facebook that the peaceful weekend protests were “meaningful, inspiring and successful . . . With your support, we properly honoured your friend and my son’s memory.”

On Tuesday, police braced for more protests in Ferguson while some residents expressed frustration over what they see as a persistent cycle of violence and bias.

Ferguson resident Roberta Lynch (51) who was among demonstrators on Monday evening, said relations between police and the community had hardly improved over the past year.

“They are doing the same old stuff, taking our rights,” Lynch said. “They need to give us our space.”

Street clashes

Rallies were mostly peaceful, but late on Monday police carrying shields rushed a crowd of protesters prompting many to scream and run. Protesters who were arrested were suspected of throwing frozen water bottles and rocks at police and other offenses, according to the St. Louis County Police Department.

St Louis County declared a state of emergency due to unrest over Ferguson, giving police greater leeway to maintain peace and security.

The declaration came after violence erupted and police critically wounded a man in an exchange of gunfire. Prosecutors charged 18-year-old Tyrone Harris with four counts of assault on law enforcement, five counts of armed criminal action, and one count of shooting at a vehicle. His bond was set at $250,000.

St Louis County Police chief Jon Belmar said officers would give protesters leeway to march but said authorities had to maintain public safety.

Adding to the tension, four white men carrying military-style rifles and sidearms, who said they are part of a group called “Oath Keepers,” patrolled Ferguson’s streets.

The group describes itself as an association of current and former US soldiers and police who aim to protect the US constitution. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit civil rights organization, has described the “Oath Keepers” as a “fiercely anti-government, militaristic group”.

The St Louis County police chief condemned their appearance in Ferguson.