Calm Unravels in Ferguson
By early Saturday morning a day of peaceful protests gave way to tear gas and sporadic bouts of looting.
Police officers in riot gear blocked off a section of West Florissant Avenue as the protests over the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown unraveled into bedlam. Some crashed through businesses while others formed human barriers along the storefronts to ward off looters.
Lines of armored cars stood by, parked just yards away from a broken-in liquor store, as officers told protesters over loudspeakers that they must clear the streets and go home for the night.
“When the people are peaceful, the police throw the tear gas,” said Steven Roach, “When there’s a riot, they just sit back.”