Saint Louis/Ferguson Riots

[frugi]

Its probably going to start to get real tonight.

I live 25 miles away from where (so far) the protests/rioting/militarized police are at.

Two days ago the Shoe Carnival shoe store & Radio Shack electronics 30 miles away from the riots in Ferguson, MO were vandalized and looted. Those stores are about 10 miles from my house, and roughly 10 blocks from where I grew up and my mom and dad still live.

Things are escalating rapidly. The have instituted a dusk curfew in Ferguson. Also, they have told all media to stay away from Ferguson or face arrest. On the third night police were shining flashlights into the news cameras, and ordering the newscasters to turn of the cameras, when they didnt comply the police have been shooting tear gas at the local media just for filming, they also have arrested several news journalists. I saw on my local news a reporter that was 50 yards away from the police barricade, and he recorded the police using laser site sniper rifles and aiming them at peaceful, unarmed protesters.

It was announced this morning on local news that protesters plan a protest/vigil in the city of Kirkwood at dusk this evening. This is a very bad idea, this could turn very bad tonight. If that isnt enough, the city of East St. Louis, Illinois is planning to do a protest/vigil as well beginning at dusk..........

Kirkwood is 50/50 whites/blacks, it has very poor, crime ridden areas, and very rich upper class areas, the 50/50 split is spread all around Kirkwood and has nothing to do with race versus poor or rich.

East St. Louis, Illinois on the other hand is the armpit of the world. East Saint Louis was in the 1950's, the whitest city in the USA. At some point Illinois petitioned the US Gov't for aid to help the homeless of the USA, and ran commercials, and print ad all over the nation encouraging homeless and those that need assistance to come live in illinois. The first city they sent these people to was East Saint Louis. By the 1970's 90% of the original town had left. By the 1990's the population fell to under 1000......Now it is a barren wasteland of burned buildings, overgrown empty lots, vast stretches of nothing, burned neighborhoods, gangs and drug violence, and of course strip clubs, massage parlors, and casinos are the only businesses actually operating in that area.

I have been relatively calm over these incidents over the past few days since I live a distance from the area, but now it could break down all over the place around here if things dont start fizzling out soon.

I will update this post when I can with relevant local news, that may or may not make its way to national headlines. If you are interested in following minute by minute coverage, check twitter, or google, liveleak, youtube, wherever.

I think it is scary mostly because of the over armed police trying to make a show by sitting in their bomb proof tanks/trucks with machine guns, and full armor pointing lasers at people, and this is being broadcast everywhere. They are trying to get you used to occupation. Sadly though, it is scary because, all it would take is 1 crazy protester to shoot at 1 crazy police officer, and it will be a warzone here. I think the police are trying to put on a show, but dont have the necessary equipment, or proper training to be in a battle. I think the police could be endangering themselves by making such a show of force.

I am hoping for a rapid decline in hostilities from both sides, but dont think that is anywhere in the immediate future.

[frugi]

forgot to mention, my current personal property and real estate liquidation i have been working on is 30 miles north from where I live. The first 25 miles is all highway, the last five miles is through the ghetto. While I stay miles away from the hot zone while commuting, the house I am working inside daily is only 5 miles from epicenter of it all in ferguson. I have a sale to conduct in the house in less than two weeks. I hope this fizzles out soon otherwise, I might have to postpone my sale, which would be a very big financial loss for me.

[NHsorter]

Also, they have told all media to stay away from Ferguson or face arrest.

What [fluffing] country is this?

[NHsorter]

This really pisses me off. How the hell can they keep reporters away? Our masters can film and snoop and spy on anyone anytime. But a reporter can't take video on a public street? How are we any different than China?

Take care frugi. Be aware, but not fearful. I know you are prepared for the worst. But I'm sure the chances of getting struck by lightning are still higher for you than a random thug attack.

[68Camaro]

The looting is being done by the thugs. The "peaceful protesters" have a bad cause and should look elsewhere for issues, but they are being stirred up by those from the outside that take advantage of chaos. The police are going too far overboard and aren't the right solution. At this point the national guard needs to saturate the area and put it on lockdown before it blows up - but I suspect they will wait too long and once it blows the NG will have a tough time putting it back in the box without more charges of excess. Very sorry to hear - I spent my teens in MO and know the general area - went to school with some guys from kirkwood.

[blackrabbit]

Looks like the police were putting on some show last night.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e44_1407985726

It is interesting that the racial tension does not seem extreme. In the first video there are whites amongst the alternative media in the crowd. It is not like Rodney King where people were just attacking other races for no reason except they looked different. They did seem to be for the most part peacefu,l and the police were the ones destroying private property lighting things on fire with tear gas canisters.

[NHsorter]

I agree with most of what you wrote 68, but I don't know if the National Guard is the answer. What a mess.

Where the hell is Obama with all this? He'll open his trap and spew [shucks] when his homies were wronged, but when thugs are going apeshit he is silent. This guy is NOT A LEADER. He's a damn coward. Bet he would squeal and duck behind his wife of kids if he were physically attacked.

You've got all these feral thugs. You think they give a crap about this guy that got shot? They are just happy to have an excuse to go out and raise hell. Sure, they are a small percentage of the population, but the actions of the few are speaking for many. Any the many are not speaking out against them. Which is pathetic. Lack of leadership. A pathetic culture. Misguided sympathies, misguided blame, lack of responsibility and accountability.

The police culture is ridiculous as well. The militarization of the police is damn scary. Now in St.L they are just out to show who is boss. OK, not just now, pretty much always, they are just out to show who is boss. That NJ cop is just the one that slipped and said what he was feeling about his oath. The rest are smart enough to keep their mouths shut. I realize that some cops are still good and actually believe in their oath. Trouble is, they mostly keep their mouths shut too.

And it's all just a bunch of damn finger pointing now. Where the hell has responsibility gone?

[NHsorter]

Wow, I just watched blackrabbits video link and also read up on a bunch of other accounts. So I'm gonna take back what I said about the National Guard. Rich is probably right. The St.L police seem to have botched this badly and continue to make things worse. That's how it looks in these videos anyway. The best thing is probably to get the St.L police out of there and get in the guard. AS LONG AS THEY CAN MANAGE IT CORRECTLY. I don't think we need the guard in there to escalate things, but maybe to try to go in there and try to keep the peace without excessive force.

[aloneibreak]

I agree with most of what you wrote 68, but I don't know if the National Guard is the answer. What a mess.

Where the hell is Obama with all this? He'll open his trap and spew [shucks] when his homies were wronged, but when thugs are going apeshit he is silent. This guy is NOT A LEADER. He's a damn coward. Bet he would squeal and duck behind his wife of kids if he were physically attacked.

You've got all these feral thugs. You think they give a crap about this guy that got shot? They are just happy to have an excuse to go out and raise hell. Sure, they are a small percentage of the population, but the actions of the few are speaking for many. Any the many are not speaking out against them. Which is pathetic. Lack of leadership. A pathetic culture. Misguided sympathies, misguided blame, lack of responsibility and accountability.

The police culture is ridiculous as well. The militarization of the police is damn scary. Now in St.L they are just out to show who is boss. OK, not just now, pretty much always, they are just out to show who is boss. That NJ cop is just the one that slipped and said what he was feeling about his oath. The rest are smart enough to keep their mouths shut. I realize that some cops are still good and actually believe in their oath. Trouble is, they mostly keep their mouths shut too.

And it's all just a bunch of damn finger pointing now. Where the hell has responsibility gone?

+1

good post

been hoping you were ok frugi - knew you were in the area

this is what you city dwellers need to be prepared for - coming soon to YOUR city

be ready to protect yourself against the thugs or the po-lice

[aloneibreak]

Its probably going to start to get real tonight.

Two days ago the Shoe Carnival shoe store & Radio Shack electronics 30 miles away from the riots in Ferguson, MO were vandalized and looted. Those stores are about 10 miles from my house, and roughly 10 blocks from where I grew up and my mom and dad still live.

i heard all that was left in the store was work boots

[NHsorter]

this is what you city dwellers need to be prepared for - coming soon to YOUR city

be ready to protect yourself against the thugs or the po-lice

Sad, but probably true.

[hobo finds]

What if the police don't arrive? We had riots here when the basketball team lost in the NCAA playoffs. Police had staged the area and moved in as the students were blocking the street. The police escalated the situation and thats when trouble started.

If the police know that people will be gathering at dusk to protest, can't they wait and see how the people are behaving? Come a few hours later the crowd may have gotten bored and left. Now if the demonstrators start rioting then sure send in the rubber bullets, tear gas, guys on horses, sound bombs and dogs.

As for the media I saw where they tear gassed an aljazera reporter when the reporters fled the cops tore down there lights and shut off cameras.

[Thogey]

i heard all that was left in the store was work boots

[AdamsSamoa]

When we were stationed in St Louis we lived in Granite City, IL... I used to comute thru this area daily. I never thought of it as a bad neighborhood.... Now East St Louis, is a diffrent thing all together.

[hobo finds]

Is there a curfew or not? http://qctimes.com/special-section/ferg ... e80b9.html

[frugi]

there is a curfew, but nobody is obeying it. however the State Police Troopers just rolled in and seized control over the city of Ferguson, and sent the 30 different counties police, and St. Louis County police departments packing. I dont know if it means they will have more state troopers on the ground instead of militarized police or what? Tonight is the night we shall see if there is a turning point for the better or for the worst.

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[NDFarmer]

Where the hell is Obama with all this?

He is vacationing. He is out on the golf course he doesn't have time to comment on this or anything else that is going on around the world.

[frugi]

http://www.ksdk.com/videos/news/local/2013/11/12/3144211/

this link is LIVE camera feed of aftermath of the press conference this morning in which the name of the officer involved in the shooting was released.

this link wont be live for long.........the news casters dont realize they left the camera on, hearing lots of slang, and internal conversations that shouldnt be heard. also, anger from the crowd. check it out while you can.

[68Camaro]

Capt Johnson seems to be filling the void in local leadership that was lacking. The local leadership, local police, can be 100% right in the original facts and completely justified in their approach to the initial situation, and yet still create an emergency by their later responses and inability to communicate.

Great leadership is a far more than about being right; it's all about convincing others to put down their own desires and concerns to follow your lead.

[OneBiteAtATime]

Capt Johnson seems to be filling the void in local leadership that was lacking. The local leadership, local police, can be 100% right in the original facts and completely justified in their approach to the initial situation, and yet still create an emergency by their later responses and inability to communicate.

Great leadership is a far more than about being right; it's all about convincing others to put down their own desires and concerns to follow your lead.

[Morsecode]

i heard all that was left in the store was work boots

Yes Sir...that one is worthy of the Mark Twain award for quote of the year.

[frugi]

it is probably going to be pretty bad tonight. They declared martial law. & full curfew from midnight to 5am. A dozen or so businesses were looted last night. including the convenience store Michael Brown robbed before being shot to death by cops.
Just my luck I have concert tickets to Polyphonic Spree tonight in University City, MO. Which is in a pretty rough neighborhood.....nearest cross street to where I will be is Delmar & Martin Luther King. The concert will be just wrapping up about midnight. So, fingers crossed that the people that are looting dont decide to move into a different suburb, especially where I will be. Also, University City is where i was nearly carjacked year and a half ago. I swore I would never go back to this area again, but I do love my Poly.

[hobo finds]

Yep the people have spoken. I was not in favor of the armed local cops. Then the Highway Patrol came in and gave them a chance, they f up so now call in the National Guard. The people were winning with the Peaceful Protests now EVERYONE will lose! They gave them a chance and some of protesters attacked the C store where the guy was a suspect in a theft. Game Over. Going to get very bad & I hope it don't spread! This could be our Ebola... Stay safe frugi

[Thogey]

Yep the people have spoken. I was not in favor of the armed local cops. Then the Highway Patrol came in and gave them a chance, they f up so now call in the National Guard. The people were winning with the Peaceful Protests now EVERYONE will lose! They gave them a chance and some of protesters attacked the C store where the guy was a suspect in a theft. Game Over. Going to get very bad & I hope it don't spread! This could be our Ebola... Stay safe frugi

This won't happen in Prescott, guaranteed.

Anyone wanna guess why?

[slickeast]

Yep the people have spoken. I was not in favor of the armed local cops. Then the Highway Patrol came in and gave them a chance, they f up so now call in the National Guard. The people were winning with the Peaceful Protests now EVERYONE will lose! They gave them a chance and some of protesters attacked the C store where the guy was a suspect in a theft. Game Over. Going to get very bad & I hope it don't spread! This could be our Ebola... Stay safe frugi

This won't happen in Prescott, guaranteed.

Anyone wanna guess why?

I have been to Prescott Valley several times and to Prescott. Can I guess?