Story by: St Louis American
“It ain’t no curfew for these killa [expletive] cops,” said a young man being urged to disperse by a group known as The Peace Keepers Saturday night. “I ain’t going no [expletive] where.”
It was 11:15 p.m. Police had started what had become a nightly routine of blocking of traffic leading to West Florissant. The hope is to keep the small element of protesters who’ve decided to rely on rage to voice their disgust in a system that they feel is out of order. Unarmed teen Michael Brown is dead after being shot down by policeman Darren Wilson in the Canfield Green Apartments. Wilson is on paid vacation. They are on curfew. They don’t see any justice and have decided to symbolically create it for themselves by refusing to retreat.
The night before another element – those who have chosen the volatile time to capitalize on the situation by looting – were captured on news footage around the world.
Others burned and vandalized while the looters grabbed everything from liquor to hair weave. Several businesses suffered thousands of dollars in damages – including the setting for the video that would reignite negative emotions on Friday after a night of peaceful demonstration.
In order to prevent another night of chaos, Gov. Jay Nixon announced Saturday afternoon that all residents of Ferguson would have to be inside from midnight until 5 a.m. In that same window, protesters would have to leave the area.
For some it was a relief. It meant they could have a few hours of sleep instead of standing on guard against looters. Media were thrilled with the idea of five hours of uninterrupted rest after going at a manic, dizzying pace.
But others took offence. Some saw it as being punished for seeking justice. Others saw it as a violation of their rights as an American citizen. And the group of young people who The Peace Keepers were attempting to ease on down West Florissant and out of the area saw it as being punished for another man’s crime – on top of the lack of justice for Michael Brown.
We’re just gonna leave them standing there looking like that,” one of the peacekeepers said through a megaphone. “That’s the victory.
He was trying to be a voice of reason and help them see the bigger picture in the most unreasonable – and unprecedented – of situations as the clock wound down.
“I’m a grown [expletive] man,” one protester said defiantly. Ain’t nobody gonna tell me when I have to go home.”
The man tried. He moved on to the next cluster of young people, whose stance said “we shall not be moved.”
A few walked behind him, but the rest fell back towards the original group.
The Peace Keeper seemed to consider the few that he was able to convert to curfew abiders a victory.
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,” the lead Peace Keeper sang in a raspy, off-tune tone through the megaphone. They headed towards the where the police were preparing to close off – near Ferguson and Florissant.
The other group headed in the opposite direction – towards what is now known as ground zero.
The police stood in formation, dressed in full on combat attire. The young men fell to their knees in the middle of the street with their hands in the air – which has become the official gesture of those who demonstrate against Brown’s tragic death. Their protective gear included the masks they made from t-shirts and/or bandanas tied around their mouth.
By night’s end another night of battle of mayhem would ensue.
The reputation and peace of mind among both residents and peaceful protesters and peace were the biggest casualities.
Photo By: Lawrence Bryant/St. Louis American