After a Ferguson, Missouri grand jury decided not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for shooting eighteen year old Michael Brown in apparent self defense, Ferguson erupted in protests, some of which unfortunately became violent. Protesters looted stores, set buildings on fire, and attacked reporters, as Breitbart News reported during our live coverage Monday evening.
Once again, Breitbart News has reporters live on the ground in Ferguson and live updates will be posted here throughout the evening.
*LIVE UPDATES*
3:30 am EST – Police detail more destruction around the city. According to a press conference, protesters broke windows at City Hall itself. In addition, several businesses were damaged.
1:45 am EST – More violence and destruction from protesters–a fire has been started on a used car lot, much like one which occurred Monday night. Police find projectiles thrown at them with a scatological bent.
1:30 am EST – Protesters have begun to strike local businesses again.
1:15 am EST – More weapons found and arrests made in Ferguson.
12:45 am EST – Protesters and police/National Guard members have squared off outside the police station in Ferguson. Protesters have reportedly thrown bricks at the police, and police have responded with pepper spray. This is all taking place in below-freezing temperatures.
11:25 pm EST – St. Louis Police have confirmed that their tactical unit deployed tear gas to disperse the protesters. They have declared the protest an unlawful assembly and anyone refusing to leave the area will be subject to arrest.
11:05 pm EST – The police are deploying smoke or tear gas against protesters in downtown Ferguson, reports Jesse Bogan from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tear gas was also deployed there on Monday evening, as Breitbart News reported.
11:00 pm EST – The St. Louis Police Department tweeted that protesters at Florissant and Church vandalized a police car and attempted to set it on fire. Officers moved in and extinguished the fire, but the car was destroyed. St. Louis Dispatch reporter Jesse Bogan posted a photo:
10:50 pm EST – The crowd outside the Ferguson Police Department has grown significantly in the last hour, according to CNN reporter Chris Cuomo. There are reports of bottles, smoke bombs, and fireworks being tossed at police
10:40 pm EST – Protesters in Dallas are on the I-35 bridge, attempting to block the freeway. More Dallas PD officers are being called in.
10:35 pm EST – CNN is reporting that protests have occurred in more than 170 U.S. cities, blocking traffic.
10:20 pm EST – Protesters gathered in front of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. and sang “We Shall Overcome.” Earlier, protesters had shut down I-395 and blocked streets in Chinatown.
The protests in Washington had elements of 2012’s “Occupy Wall Street” protests, as protesters were seen wearing Guy Fawkes masks and chanting anti-capitalist slogans. Wal-Mart was among the targets.
10:15 pm EST – In his first television interview since Michael Brown was shot, Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson spoke to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Warren said that he would not do anything differently and genuinely feared for his life when Brown reached into his police car and grabbed for his gun. Warren also said that Brown punched him hard in the face and was overpowered by Brown, who was larger than he was. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to withstand another hit like that,” Wilson said. “I just felt the immense power that he had. And then the way I’ve described it is it was like a 5-year-old holding onto Hulk Hogan. That’s just how big this man was.”
10:00 pm EST – The “Christmas in St. Louis” Thanksgiving Day Parade will be postponed, reports KSDK-TV in St. Louis. The organizers of the parade, the Christmas in St. Louis Foundation, issued a statement that the postponement was due to “the unrest in our community following the tragic death of Michael Brown.” A new date will be announced soon.
9:45 pm EST – The protest in downtown Austin ended peacefully. The crowd has dissipated and all roadways are open once again.. Austin Police Chief credited the demonstrators for “showing [the] best activism on display” and “exercising rights in a peaceful manner.”
9:30 pm EST – Protesters are in the streets of downtown Dallas, Texas as well, as reported by WFAA-TV reporter Rebecca Lopez, whose beat covers the Dallas Police Department. Dallas Police Officers are following the protesters and Dallas SWAT is on standby.
9:15 pm EST – Breitbart News reporter Michelle Moons reports that as the sun set in Ferguson, a Chinese Food restaurant, New Chinese Gourmet, was among the Ferguson businesses boarding up windows and taking other precautions for night two of protests in the St. Louis suburb. Last night, Breitbart News reporters saw protesters attempt to break into businesses to loot their merchandise and commit acts of vandalism, but were unable to enter buildings that were boarded up in this manner. New Chinese Gourmet is just up the street from the Ferguson Police Department, where many of the protests originated on Monday night.
8:55 pm EST – The police have blocked off South Florissant Avenue in downtown Ferguson, where looting and arson occurred Monday evening, according to reports from a CNN reporter on the scene:
8:50 pm EST – Protesters in downtown Houston are attempting to reach the freeway but are being blocked by Houston Police Officers forming a human barricade, according to photos posted on Twitter.
8:45 pm EST – A protester interrupted a live broadcast on CNN with a profanity, coming up behind CNN reporter Don Lemon and yelling “F*** CNN!” This was not the first example of protesters being hostile to reporters. Another CNN reporter was hit in the head with a rock on live television last night. Other protesters in New York chanted the same “F*** CNN!” phrase, according to multiple reports on Twitter.
8:30 pm EST – There are some bright spots amid the violence and tragedy. A photo of Ferguson bakery owner Natalie DuBose’s tear-stained face went viral last night after her bakery was heavily damaged by protesters. Supporters from around the country have reached out to her to show her support on social media, posting on herFacebook and Twitter pages. Two supporters set up a GoFundMe site to help DuBose with rebuilding and business disruption costs, raising almost $30,000 so far.
8:20 pm EST – East St. Louis is under a curfew for minors from 6:00 pm until sunrise Wednesday morning, as reported by KMOV-TV. The curfew is a response by local law enforcement to the break-ins of local businessesMonday evening and protesters who remained on the streets throughout the day Tuesday. Police have said that they hope to give warnings rather than make arrests, but there will be additional officers on the scene to enforce the curfew.
8:15 p.m. EST – About 500 to 600 people are engaged in a nonviolent protest in downtown Austin, Texas. Austin Chief of Police Art Acevedo tweeted that the protesters were “exercising their rights peacefully,” adding that the “First Amendment [is] on display.” They began their march in front of the Austin Police Department headquarters and are heading toward the Texas Capitol, turning down Sixth Street from Trinity. Austin Police vehicles are helping them move safely.
Follow Sarah Rumpf on Twitter @rumpfshaker
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