Ferguson Update

At least a dozen people have been arrested during a protest along a major interchange on Interstate 70 in Ferguson, Missouri. Demonstrators tried to shut down the highway to demand a special prosecutor for the Michael Brown court case.

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The cops brought out their batons and shields and began moving closer to the protesters as a large crowd of protesters moved north, according to Wicentowski. The two groups collided, and there was a short scrum. Some water bottles were thrown. At least one brick was thrown, Carson tweeted.

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Fox 2’s news helicopter was told to leave the airspace over the demonstration “because of congestion in the area,” the station said.

  RT

What? It was gliding along the ground?

Always with the attempt to prevent video reporting and evidence during police action.

Their reporter on the ground did manage to get some video of a policeman roughling handling a protestor, even while another policeman’s hand is visible trying to pull the officer back.

The Missouri town’s first public meeting since the shooting death of black teenager Michael Brown, 18, killed by a white police officer on August 9, turned chaotic with audience members shouting down Ferguson’s council members.

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[Mayor] Knowles opened the meeting by reciting some of the measures City Council had recommended, including the creation of a Citizen Review Board that would oversee the reform of the Ferguson Police Department, which consists of just three black police officers out of 53.

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The council also pledged to reduce court fines, which amounted to $2.6 million last year – nearly twice as much as the courts collected two years previously.

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The US Justice Department announced last week that it was opening an investigation into the Ferguson Police Department, following accusations by Ferguson residents that the police practice racial profiling and other discriminatory measures. A local grand jury is investigating the killing of Michael Brown in an effort to determine if officer Darren Wilson acted in self-defense.

  RT

Missouri residents who have concealed-carry permits will be able to openly carry their firearms anywhere in the state, as a result of the General Assembly decision to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a broad gun-rights bill.

The bill prevents municipalities from barring people from openly carrying firearms, lowers the minimum age to 19 for concealed carry permits in the state, and allows school districts to arm teachers. Police officers also will be barred from disarming people unless they are under arrest.

The Missouri House voted 117-39 in favor of the override, with little debate.

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Earlier Wednesday, the Senate had voted 23-8 in favor of the bill. The number of supporters was the minimum needed to override a governor’s veto.

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Rep. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, recommended that all Missourians be armed. "We live in a world that's evil, that wants to harm each and every one," he said.

  St. Louis Public Radio

Brilliant. We're asking for a showdown, aren't we?  Or just trying to outdo Arizona.