Protesters and Police Reach Uneasy Truce in Ferguson
Although tensions remained high in Ferguson Tuesday, police and protesters were able to reach an uneasy truce for most of the night.
After a tear-gas-filled night Monday, reporters also noted a somewhat "different vibe" on the ground Tuesday evening.
The train is back! #Ferguson https://t.co/xDj97YQbWY
— FOX2now (@FOX2now) August 20, 2014
"Two guys got in a scuffle earlier. Otherwise, still have seen no violence or aggression or clashes between protesters and police," the Washington Post's Wesley Lowery wrote around 8:30 pm.
"Peaceful and mellow vibe out here, but, you know. Tinderbox," the LA Times' Matt Pearce reported.
"A young man and a couple of cops are having a discussion about reasonable suspicion and probable cause," the Huffington Post's Ryan J. Reilly wrote.
Although there were still reports of agitators, people on the scene noted that protest leaders were largely able to defuse the situation from escalating:
This guy doing his best to cause problems. Peacekeepers trying to get him to stop yelling at police pic.twitter.com/2prFX9vKR7
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) August 20, 2014
Out of town protestor was VERY eager to confront police; #Ferguson protest leaders steered him away.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 20, 2014
"It has been a relatively peaceful night here in Ferguson. It's good because the protesters needed a break," Mashable's Amanda Wills wrote on Twitter.
Around midnight, Lowery wrote on Twitter, organizers had succeeded "in clearing bulk of the crowd. More than half have left." At the same time, demonstrators were peacefully dispersing on the KARG Argus Radio live stream.
But not long after, he reported that police were demanding the crowd disperse. Lowery and other reporters also said they'd heard reports of protesters throwing objects at police officers.
Update 1:15 am
Around 1 am, reporters began posting about clashes with protesters.
Reporter chasing after a young guy shouting "Help me, that guy stole my phone!"
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 20, 2014
A protester just backed up a reporter like he was going to attack him.
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 20, 2014
You have demonstrators getting frustrated with the zillion cameramen right now.
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 20, 2014
So much anger and intensity right now, a man is calling for media to keep cameras on. Police ordering media out
— Ryan Devereaux (@rdevro) August 20, 2014
It bears repeating: Are we the media helping or hurting. #Ferguson
— Akilah Johnson (@akjohnson1922) August 20, 2014
Update 1:30
Police reportedly began making dozens of arrests—including someone serving as a National Lawyer's Guild Legal Observe and an unidentified reporter—around 1:30 am. The Daily Banter's Chez Pazienza was also reportedly maced.
According to CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin, police are saying the conflict began when a demonstrator threw a water bottle.
.@trymainelee says, and I agree, that media has become an accelerant at this point.
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 20, 2014
[image via KARG Argus Radio live stream]