Let’s face it: both police and protesters in Ferguson, Mo., are preparing for a riot when the grand jury delivers its decision in the case of Darren Wilson, the white police officer who shot black 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon held a press conference Tuesday afternoon during which he announced that he would activate the National Guard if necessary. Protesters have delivered to police their own rules of engagement, including a demand that police forgo riot gear.
At the press conference, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar declared that riot gear was strictly defensive, declaring, “Frankly, we haven’t hurt anybody with a riot helmet yet.” So what of the protesters’ plans? Over the weekend, they prepared and decorated plywood shields and posted the results to Tumblr.
#Ferguson protestors made defensive wooden shields and decorated them with creative messages over the weekend: http://t.co/MSJJxoQ4Ex
— Keith Rose (@KWRose) November 11, 2014
https://twitter.com/AnonCopWatch/status/531596441848786944
https://twitter.com/StMichaelsHelp/status/532254336269557760
https://twitter.com/Grimm_Gunn/status/532255953463570432
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So, what do they look like in action?
Shielded. America. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/FfGAlz6y33
— deray (@deray) November 10, 2014
Occupy Oakland pitched in with its own suggestion for proper shielding from police.
https://twitter.com/ThornCoyle/status/531958775763447808
Looks like #Ferguson is sticking with plywood.
@myriadmystic @deray Okay, they're going to have a tough time hauling those things around while throwing rocks, bricks and piss bottles.
— Annie Mae (@anniemae1000) November 11, 2014
No joke: among the protesters’ rules of engagement is a demand that police be “tolerant of minor law-breaking (like water bottles thrown at police).”
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