Arrests Begin As Ferguson Protesters Plan Highway Shutdown During Afternoon Rush Hour

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER | Associated Press | 18 minutes ago in Politics


FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have started arresting protesters who were planning to block part of Interstate 70 near the St. Louis suburb where an unarmed black 18-year-old was fatally shot by a white police officer.

Groups of protesters were gathering in the middle of a road near interstate on-ramps Wednesday ahead of their plans to block access to the highway. After being warned to stay out of the street, some refused, and an Associated press reporter saw at least 7 cuffed by police.

Organizers say they want to bring rush hour traffic on I-70 in Ferguson to a standstill and expect to be arrested.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and city and county police departments say they will "enforce the law and ensure public safety" at the protest.


Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/51600801d5cf4e2c910eef9a6b5a4787/arrests-begin-as-ferguson-protesters-plan-highway-shutdown-during-afternoon-rush-hour.html

[PeoViejo]

1. The police did them a favor

That smells like something a provocateur would have set up to try and discredit the Furguson Protesters.

First rule of Asymmetrical Warfare: Don't piss off the people who might support you.

[Louisiana1976]

2. Excellent point. Blocking traffic on I-70 will have the opposite effect of what you want.

[951-Riverside]

3. Amen brother!

1. Protesting isnt "Warfare" although I'm sure the potbelly porkers rolling around in their tanks and playing army think the first amendment is an act of war

2. If the mere act of blocking the roadway changes ones mind in such a way that they use it to justify the murder of an unarmed man then I'm sure that same individual never supported the protest to begin with.

Edit:

Sure they can blast you with mace, threaten to kill you, shoot you with rubber bullets, cover their badges, remove their nametags, use sound cannons, fire live rounds, tell people to keep moving or face arrest, lock down an entire area and force media into a "designated area" but if you "civilian" scum even think about blocking traffic OH MY GOD you'd think the world just ended.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Not only that, it's unsafe to block an interstate and cause traffic jams, for

a host of reasons--drivers not slowing down in time for the backups ahead, emergency vehicles not getting through, detours that increase traffic loads elsewhere...whoever thought up this peabrained stunt isn't doing Ferguson any favors whatsoever.

[another_liberal]

5. Desperation can make one do almost anything . . .

I hope they are all very careful of each other, and they stay safe if they can.

[me b zola]

6. 'The Missouri State Highway Patrol and city and county police departments say they will ....

"enforce the law and ensure public safety" at the protest.' Huh. Have they enforced the law and arrested Officer Wilson yet?

My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Ferguson.

[Feral Child]

7. I'm not buying this.

I admit I haven't read any recent news from Ferguson, but this would be a futile tactic, extremely dangerous, and unlikely to bring any support to the cause. I have zero problem with civil disobedience, but it has to be carefully staged to raise sympathy.

This sounds like a myth created by St. Louis County Police Intelligence Division to justify some arrests, smear the protesters as irresponsible, and remind everyone that the police actually control traffic and can stop it with impunity.

[Gore1FL]

8. Buy it. I was in a meeting and heard two helocopters

I saw the traffic congestion on Natural Bridge (which is already idiotically screwed up but that's a topic for another time). When I left, I took Natural Bridge. East, away from it's intersection with N. Hanley. My other option was the Florissant-- which was the on/off point one exit east of N. Hanley.

After running that errand, I took Bermuda Rd to a service road and took it West to Florissant so I could hit the nearby Schnucks Grocery store in Cool Valley. It was about 5:30 and the traffic had dropped, the highway was open, but there were still a lot of police vehicles near the N. Hanley entrance.

I've also seen video from a fried where a bunch of pissed off commuters representing many races were arguing with cops to let them across the N. Hanley overpass I-70 to the Metrolink station. (The police could have probably come up with a solution and still secured the bridge had they tried, but that, too, a topic for another time.)

But, yeah. It very much happened.

[Feral Child]

11. Thanks for the correction.

I think that tactic must be flawed, but I haven't been to the area since '83, and can't speak with any authority to the situation there.

Ferguson PD has always been a festering sore.

Luck and safety to you!

[Gore1FL]

12. It ended up the biggest blockers of traffic were the cops

A friend of mine was almost arrested for trespassing on a public sidewalk by the metro-link station.

[Feral Child]

13. No surprise there.

[Gore1FL]

9. I'd have liked it better had people congested these 600 sites:

http://www.stlouisco.com/yourgovernment/elections/voterregistration

I think it might be a significantly more leveraging statement--moreso if done in numbers.

[alp227]

10. STL Post-Dispatch: Interstate blockade fails as protesters clash with police

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/interstate-blockade-fails-as-protesters-clash-with-police/article_d4637a3a-187d-512a-a9f6-e9c4009a31e1.html