Ferguson, MO police did everything wrong

The wrongful killing by a white police officer of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri has sparked world-wide indignation.   Local police did just about everything wrong -- before, during, and after the fateful encounter.

First, in a city of 21,000 people, 67% of whom are African-American, the police force of 53 has only 3 black police officers.    There is a wide-spread mistrust of the police among this group, based on experience of not being treated equally or fairly.   The simmering rage boiled over following the police shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown, who was reportedly simply walking down the street when he was stopped for an identity check.  It's unclear exactly what prompted the office to escalate to shooting, but two witnesses say that the 18 year old teen had his hands up in the air at the time the policeman first shot him.   And that he shot him additional times after he was already down on the gound.

Eighteen year old Michael Brown's family, local civil rights leaders, and the Rev. Al Sharpton all pleaded with the people to express their feelings in peaceful protest marches and gatherings.   At first it was mainly that.

But then the police took the wrong approach and began to treat the area like a war zone.   After one day of mostly peaceful vigils and gathering, with relatively minor rumblings of trouble, they assembled a police force of 150 officers in riot gear, fully armed with assault rifles, armored vehicles with big guns mounted on top.   They proclaimed that protest assemblies be confined to daylight hours, began clearing the streets, acting provocatively to anyone not moving fast enough.   They acted, not just like bullies, but like brutes, like jack-booted thugs.

Before long, things escalated.   Rubber bullets were fired, tear gas and smoke bombs were thrown into the crowds, people were arrested, including two journalists and a city alderman.

Things were going from bad to worse, when the Missouri governor stepped in.  He removed the local police of the duty and put the state highway patrol in charge.   Most significantly, he put Capt. Ron Johson in command.

Following nights of escalating unrest, things changed dramatically.   Johnson grew up in Ferguson.   His approach was entirely different:   he came with open arms;   he marched at the head of the line along with protesters;   he hugged participants and talked with them.    

Last night was entrely different:   even larger crowds came out to be part of the demonstration, but it was calm and peaceful.   Police were little in evidence.   Those that were, helped direct traffic but generally were supportive of the crowds rather than menacing.   No armored vehicles, no tear gas, few guns in evidence.   Healing had begun.   People began to hope for lasting change.

But then today the local Chief of Police -- without consulting with Capt. Johnson -- held a press conference.   He finally released the name of the officer who had shot Brown -- along with the report and surveillance videos of an earlier incident at a convenience store in which a Michale Brown is seen confronting the store clerk menacingly and walking out of the store with a box of cigars that he allegedly stole.

The family is outraged.   They see this as the police attempt to assassinate the character of their son to excuse the wrongful shooting of Michael.    The police chief acknowledged that stopping him on the street was not initially related to the robbery, but then the officer quickly considered him a suspect for the robbery that had taken place an hour before.

Nothing in this -- no petty robbery of cigars -- can excuse the fact that Michael was walking peacefully along the street.   At 12:01 he was stopped by the policeman;  at 12:04 he was dead, from multiple gunshots by the policeman.   Two eyewitnesses have given interviews in which they describe no apparent behavior from Michael that would in any way justify him being shot, and that in fact he had his hands up in the air when he was shot.

It's not like this is a rare event.   For black people, it's a constant fear and a threat that they live with.

This police mentality -- act tough, flaunt your firepower, knock a few heads, show 'em who's boss -- is the same as our war hawks in congress and right wing media who think anything short of military force in the world is being wimpy.

The difference in Ferguson on Wednesday night and on Thursday night is simple proof of which approach works best with people who mostly just want to be heard and to voice their protest against mistreatment.    Exactly what the Palestinians want.

Ralph