Ferguson Protesters Guard Stores From Looters

Huffington Post – by Braden Goyette

Chaos broke out in the streets of Ferguson on Friday night, the same day that police announced the name of the officer who killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown andreleased footage appearing to show Brown stealing cigarettes from a convenience store. Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson later said Friday the initial contact between Brown and officer Darren Wilson was not related to a convenience store robbery.

A peaceful protest on Friday night turned into another confrontation with police after some in the crowd reportedly threw rocks and people began looting stores, including the convenience store that Brown was accused of robbing. Police formed lines and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.  

In the midst of it all, protesters took it upon themselves to guard stores against looting.

Young man explaining why he is protecting store from looters https://t.co/Sj9M3BEIls

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 16, 2014

https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/statuses/500528268517572608

Men are trying to stop others from looting the liquor store. "Man you're better than that" pic.twitter.com/8ckpdlTOvP

— Amanda M. Sakuma (@iamsakuma) August 16, 2014

Community members trying to calm down crowd in front of #ferguson mart and liquor

— Christine Conetta (@BmoreConetta) August 16, 2014

"They think we all ignorant niggas but we're not. We protecting this." pic.twitter.com/t9DNnZNNqJ

— Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) August 16, 2014

"Who you out here for? Better be for Mike Brown." Protesters guarding a liquor store from looters early Saturday a.m. pic.twitter.com/01TPOleFXR

— Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) August 16, 2014

Some reporters on scene noted that police appeared to be hanging back from intervening with looters, and that a small minority of protesters was looting.

As a store burns, cars do donoughts in the street, people loot, others stop them & the city turns chaotic police say nothing & sit in trucks

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 16, 2014

Despite looting, police have not moved from their position. Still holding back #Ferguson

— Christine Conetta (@BmoreConetta) August 16, 2014

Despite looting, police have not moved from their position. Still holding back #Ferguson

— Christine Conetta (@BmoreConetta) August 16, 2014

https://twitter.com/AmyKNelson/statuses/500527185959337984

https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/statuses/500526819628445696

https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/statuses/500530428734734336

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