Police defend use of tear gas, smoke at protests

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By JIM SALTER and JIM SUHR

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Police on Thursday defended the use of tear gas and smoke bombs to repel protesters after another night of chaos in a St. Louis suburb following the shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.

St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman said officers on Wednesday night tossed tear gas to disperse a large crowd of protesters after some threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at officers. More than 10 people were arrested in Ferguson.

"In talking to these guys, it is scary," Schellman said of officers on the front lines of the protest. "They hear gunshots going off, and they don't know where they're coming from."

But the police response is drawing criticism from many circles. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton called Thursday for the Justice Department to monitor Ferguson and the way police are handling the crisis.

FULL story at link.



A device deployed by police goes off in the street as police and protesters clash Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014, in Ferguson, Mo. Authorities in the St. Louis suburb where an unarmed black teen was shot and killed by a police officer have used tear gas to try to disperse protesters after flaming projectiles were thrown from the crowd. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140814/us-police-shooting-missouri-1ee7072a53.html

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AGAIN with the after some threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at officers

[randr]

1. I think the police see these protests as an excuse

to practice military maneuvers with their new 'toys'. Public be damned. They are using us to act out 'war games'.

[old guy]

10. Exactly.

They are responding according to their training. They know no other way.

[billhicks76]

14. They Would Defend Gang Rape

These guys would defend gang rape if done by one of their own. And we all know they have been told surplus military equipment is given to them to put down protests...probably scared into thinking its poor people uprisings on the horizon.

[malthaussen]

2. Okay, if the crowd threw Molotovs...

... where are the burn cases? Show me some injured police. Shouldn't be too hard. After all, when protesters are attacked, there are photos of the blood and brutality.

-- Mal

[arcane1]

5. In the live feed last night, I did see someone throw something.

But it was well after the police line started moving, and the gas and bombs were being launched into peoples freakin' YARDS. Someone in a yard through something.

[Ino]

8. Yeah I saw that too.

That was the ONLY person and the ONLY thing I ever saw thrown by the protestors in that live feed.

Did you hear the reporter say the police (through the bullhorn) told them to stop filming shortly before they starting launching bombs (what exactly were those bright explosions?) at the crowd? Reporter said they were NOT going to stop filming! Good on those guys!

[arcane1]

12. Yep. I had the volume up and could hear the cops saying "turn off your cameras"

I think those bombs were some sort of gas bomb(?)

Whatever they were, they were pretty f-ing scary! And the sound of that sonic cannon hurt my ears through my computer speakers. I went to bed last night with those sounds and sights still in my head

[Omaha Steve]

13. STUN grenade (child injured by one below)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2643344/Horror-SWAT-team-throw-stun-grenade-toddlers-CRIB-drugs-raid-leaving-coma-severe-burns.html

SWAT team throws a stun grenade into a toddler's CRIB during drugs raid leaving him in a coma with severe burns

A family is in shock after a SWAT team threw a stun grenade into their 19-month-old son's crib during a midnight drugs raid, leaving the baby in a medically induced coma with severe burns.

Wisconsin mother Alecia Phonesavanh, her husband, Bounkham, and their children including toddler, Bou Jr., were visiting her sister-in-law in Atlanta, Georgia, when police raided the home early Wednesday.

Phonesavanh said officers threw a stun grenade, which landed in the sleeping child's crib.



Horror: Little Bou Phonesavanh, pictured right before and left after, was severely injured by a grenade during a police raid early Thursday


'It landed in his playpen and exploded on his pillow right in his face,' the distraught mother told WSBTV. 'It's my baby. He's only a baby. He didn't deserve any of this.'

FULL story and video at link.

[Roland99]

9. Perhaps the protestor (err...undercover cop) didn't want to harm his fellow jackboots.

[arcane1]

3. Funny how I didn't see anyone throwing anything until AFTER the gas bombs started popping

Funny how that works.

[Fred Sanders]

4. De-militarize the police. De-militarize hate speech. Weaponize the vote.

[jwirr]

6. Amen.

[freshwest]

15. +1

[blackspade]

7. AP making shit up again.

Relying on a police 'spokesman.'

[blkmusclmachine]

16. +1

[olddad56]

11. I think that it is time to call the police what they really are, Municipal Armed Forces.