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Missouri takes control of security away from Ferguson police after US teen Michael Brown's death
Missouri's governor moved to ease tensions on Thursday after days of racially charged protests over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager, putting the African-American captain of the Highway Patrol in charge of security in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson. Captain Ron Johnson, who grew up in Ferguson, told reporters he would take a "different approach" to policing after complaints that officers used heavy-handed tactics, arresting dozens of protesters and using teargas and pepper pellets to break up crowds. Protesters filled the streets for a fifth night on Thursday in the mostly black suburb of Ferguson and also assembled in other US cities following the death of 18- year-old Michael Brown last weekend. The mood was boisterous but peaceful, even festive at times, in sharp contrast to tense nightly standoffs between heavily armed riot police flanked by armored cars and angry protesters, as well as episodes of looting, vandalism and violence. Thousands of demonstrators, including more white protesters than on previous evenings, gathered late into the night near the site of Saturday's shooting. In sharp contrast to Wednesday night's heavy deployment by riot police, Captain Johnson and a handful of African-American officers without body armor walked among the crowd. "We just want to be able to come and demonstrate together without the fear of being shot. It's that simple," said 53-year-old protester Cat Daniels, an Iraq veteran. "What you see tonight is people coming together. When that kid was killed the hurt and the pain was real."
Read more here:
Missouri takes control of security away from Ferguson police after US teen Michael Brown's death | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis
Missouri's governor moved to ease tensions on Thursday after days of racially charged protests over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager, putting the African-American captain of the Highway Patrol in charge of security in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson. Captain Ron Johnson, who grew up in Ferguson, told reporters he would take a "different approach" to policing after complaints that officers used heavy-handed tactics, arresting dozens of protesters and using teargas and pepper pellets to break up crowds. Protesters filled the streets for a fifth night on Thursday in the mostly black suburb of Ferguson and also assembled in other US cities following the death of 18- year-old Michael Brown last weekend. The mood was boisterous but peaceful, even festive at times, in sharp contrast to tense nightly standoffs between heavily armed riot police flanked by armored cars and angry protesters, as well as episodes of looting, vandalism and violence. Thousands of demonstrators, including more white protesters than on previous evenings, gathered late into the night near the site of Saturday's shooting. In sharp contrast to Wednesday night's heavy deployment by riot police, Captain Johnson and a handful of African-American officers without body armor walked among the crowd. "We just want to be able to come and demonstrate together without the fear of being shot. It's that simple," said 53-year-old protester Cat Daniels, an Iraq veteran. "What you see tonight is people coming together. When that kid was killed the hurt and the pain was real."
Read more here:
Missouri takes control of security away from Ferguson police after US teen Michael Brown's death | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis