A public meeting at St. Louis City Hall about a bill proposing civilian oversight of police went about as well as one might expect. After months of protests punctuated by riots and destruction, the meeting erupted into a brawl.
Large crowd for public meeting at St. Louis City Hall for bill to start civilian oversight board of police. pic.twitter.com/4I5IdoBpRa
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
More than 100 officers here at Board of Aldermen meeting for 1st hearing on a Civilian Oversight Board of the police pic.twitter.com/iRGXUiibnK
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Over 50 people have signed up to speak about civilian oversight of police. They each get 3 minutes. pic.twitter.com/Aljy1afJEu
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
Alderman @AntonioFrench is a sponsor of the bill, says community wants to know police aren't just monitored by police pic.twitter.com/bA8im9tU9O
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Demonstrators who protested in #Ferguson following #MikeBrown shooting share their frustrations at STL City Hall pic.twitter.com/TFFBxqE7Qj
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
STL city police officer takes podium, says the way the bill is currently written is a manifestation of the simmering anti-police sentiment
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Recommended
#Ferguson resident speaks at police oversight hearing: "I need police who will give a damn if I die."
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
https://twitter.com/jgsgerard/status/560619868144545794
Jeff Roorda of the STL Police Officers Association says the way the bill is currently written, officers are guilty until proven innocent
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Wow! Things just got outta hand pic.twitter.com/58WbugaeKR
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Brawl has started after Alderman Terry Kennedy and Police Union manager Jeff Roorda exchanged words
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
A union rep and an incident of violence?
That's unpossible. @nickpistor
— TheMissouriTorch (@MissouriTorch) January 29, 2015
There are only two exits to this room.
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
Screaming still going right now at city hall http://t.co/bBf2hBgtnC
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
I'm not 100 percent sure what happened, but this meeting just dissolved into chaos.
— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) January 29, 2015
Current scene in room 208. There's an officer saying they'll shut it down if ppl don't calm down. pic.twitter.com/8BefiRKF17
— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) January 29, 2015
At city hall right now pic.twitter.com/KXzGP1Egy3
— Christina Coleman (@CColemanFoxNews) January 29, 2015
Kennedy is trying to get this back under control.
— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) January 29, 2015
Order is being restored. They are still going to try to have this meeting!
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
https://twitter.com/seeeek/status/560617845756010496
Alderman Terry Kennedy is ending the meeting.
— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@nickpistor) January 29, 2015
It’s obvious that tensions were high and some of the usual suspects were present or live tweeting.
Roorda's wristband as he sits at the civilian oversight hearing @OBS_STL @deray @Nettaaaaaaaa pic.twitter.com/jfFmKXmHs2
— Reuben Riggs (@ReubLou) January 29, 2015
@ReubLou @OBS_STL @deray @Nettaaaaaaaa think of how they'd portray us if we had a bracelet that said "I'm (name of cop killer)"
— Christopher Medina-Kirchner (@ChrisMedinaK) January 29, 2015
Like “Free Mumia?”
https://twitter.com/CaliLov3_/status/560618589506375682
https://twitter.com/CaliLov3_/status/560614304131448833
Jeff Roorda assaulted a woman after the chairperson of the Alderman told him he couldn't tell him how to do his job #Ferguson
— Bassem Masri (@bassem_masri) January 29, 2015
So, Roorda, President of the STL Police Association, assaults a woman at a public hearing tonight and isn't arrested. America.
— deray (@deray) January 29, 2015
The protests will continue indefinitely.
— deray (@deray) January 29, 2015
As if that wasn’t a given.
***
Related