A protest marking the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death turned violent on Friday, leaving several officers injured.
On Friday, crowds gathered in Ferguson, Missouri, to demand justice for Brown, who was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9th, 2014. Brown, who was unarmed, was walking down a sidewalk with a friend when Wilson, a white officer, followed them, even striking Brown with his car door. During a confrontation, Brown had his hands up when he was shot. Many witnesses verified this account, yet Wilson was never prosecuted.
Authorities reported that Friday’s demonstrations started peacefully outside the police station, with protesters shaking the security fence. However, they claim that part of the fence was broken, prompting deputies to begin making arrests.
During the melee, Officer Travis Brown was reportedly pushed to the ground by a man, resulting in a head injury that left him in critical condition. Two other officers were also injured but less severely—one suffered an ankle injury, while the other had a cut. Both were treated at the scene.
Civil rights activist Rev. Darryl Gray is urging the Ferguson Police to maintain peace and avoid creating an “us versus them” mentality. “Right now, all of our efforts and energy need to be positive toward the recovery of the police officer. And then, second to that, to conduct a fair and unbiased investigation to determine what the evidence is,” he told a local news outlet.
Five people were arrested during the protests, including 28-year-old Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis, who was charged with first-degree assault, resisting arrest, first-degree property damage, and two counts of fourth-degree assault. The charges against the other suspects have not yet been disclosed.
