In what St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar called an “improvement from the night before,” police arrested 45 people following protests in Ferguson, Mo. over the grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson.
Authorities credit the less intense night to a surge in National Guard presence in the Ferguson area Tuesday, but a number of protestors were still taken into custody for allegedly assaulting officers, among other actions. According to the Unified Command, 25 protesters arrested were accused of unlawful assembly, one for misdemeanor assault of an officer, and 12 for interfering with officers. Three others were arrested for armed criminal action.
Police also claim they confiscated two pistols, including a 9-millimeter semi automatic, and were subject to assault when demonstrators hurled bottles, rocks, and what appeared to be urine on the officers.
But the majority of those gathered in Ferguson did what they have done for the past 100 plus days — marched peacefully.
Still, officers deployed tear gas to disperse crowds.
Belmar said the gas was used at the crowd at City Hall, but nowhere else.
According to the LA Times, the “worst damage of the night” occurred at City Hall, “where ‘rioters’ broke windows and badly damaged a police car.”
But despite the report of “agitators and rioters” from police, Ferguson protestors have been documenting the aggression of the National Guard and police officers since the decision not to charge Wilson came down.
There are snipers on every roof. One just called me a dumb bitch.
— Alexis (@MusicOverPeople) November 26, 2014
Getting tear gassed two nights in a row… Not on the agenda 😒
— ShordeeDooWhop (@Nettaaaaaaaa) November 26, 2014
These officers just charged at an AP reporter and manhandled her over a streetside railing #Ferguson https://t.co/hL4b7FmCVk
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 26, 2014
POLICE CHASE PROTESTORS UP THE HILL. WOW. #fergusonhttps://t.co/x1VqHOWGwk
— deray mckesson (@deray) November 26, 2014
On Monday, the day the non-indictment was passed down, at least 61 people were arrested in Ferguson.
We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
SOURCE: LA Times, STL Dispatch, Twitter | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
