"I Am Darren Wilson" Bracelets Are Missouri Cops' New Fashion Statement
Yesterday, after reports that a mysterious fire had been set to a Michael Brown memorial, a photo allegedly depicting a Ferguson, Mo., police officer wearing an "I am Darren Wilson" bracelet, in support of the officer who shot and killed Brown, began to circulate on social media.
The photo was first published on the Instagram account MediaBlackOutUSA. In a press conference today, Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson confirmed the bracelets' existence and argued that they were a personal statement for the officers wearing them, BuzzFeed reports. "I think that was not a statement of law enforcement. I think wearing that was an individual statement," he reportedly said.
According to St. Louis alderman Antonio French, Johnson also said he would "have a talk" with whatever agency the bracelet-wearing officers work for.
Johnson said he'll be having a talk with the agencies of the officers who wore the "I Am Darren Wilson" wristbands. Presumably Ferguson PD.
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) September 24, 2014
The burning of the Brown memorial appears to have stoked renewed unrest in Ferguson, where the 18-year-old was killed August 9.
