Photos by Justin Baragona
PoliticusUSA’s Justin Baragona was on the scene in Ferguson Wednesday afternoon and witnessed a protest where the goal was to shut down an interstate highway for a short period of time during rush hour traffic. Roughly 150 demonstrators showed up at the N. Hanley exit of I-70 near Ferguson around 3 PM local time. Waiting for the protesters were approximately 200 police officers from surrounding jurisdictions and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Many of the officers were decked out in riot gear, and they brought along an armored vehicle and at least two buses to transport arrested demonstrators, if necessary.
The police managed to block the on and off ramps to the highway and surrounded the protesters. However, due to the large police presence, traffic was brought to a standstill on the highway, effectively accomplishing the protesters’ goal of disrupting highway traffic during a busy driving period. The police did arrest a handful of demonstrators, alleging that they had rocks and bottles thrown at them. Justin personally witnessed seven officers chase down an individual to a nearby train station and gang tackle him.
Around 4:30 PM local time, an offshoot group of protesters made their way to the Ferguson police station in downtown Ferguson. A few dozen demonstrators marched down the street and shut down traffic for over 30 minutes. Ferguson police officers confronted the protesters, who gathered at an intersection and chanted. One protester, armed with a ‘No Justice’ sign and an American flag, walked up to the officers and unleashed a tirade at them, demanding justice for Michael Brown and asking how they could stand behind Darren Wilson, the officer that shot and killed Brown. Eventually, a severe thunderstorm rolled through the area, dispersing the crowd and the police officers.
At both protests, the demands were the same as they’ve been for weeks. The residents of Ferguson want St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch to recuse himself from the case due to feelings that he is compromised and cannot be impartial. Also, they want to see the immediate arrest of Darren Wilson. Until one or both of these events occur, there will be more planned protests.
Below are photos from the I-70 and downtown Ferguson demonstrations:
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