Protestors Block Traffic and Go Head-To-Head with Police Across the U.S.
For the second night in a row, demonstrators across the U.S. blocked traffic and squared off with police officers in protest of the Ferguson grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer who fired six shots into an unarmed black teenager.
In Ferguson, there were again reports of fires and teargas but the attacks on property that dominated Monday night's new coverage appeared to have slowed by Tuesday. From the New York Times:
A few blocks away, demonstrators tried to set fire to a police car parked outside City Hall, but officers swarmed the street, set off clouds of tear gas and tried to clear the area — a far stronger show of force than had come a day earlier. Some arrests were made, and members of the Guard appeared to be assisting the police in taking people into custody.
Protesters choking on teargas and cursing at police and reporters #ferguson https://t.co/O2ITRgNX2d
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 26, 2014
Tact unit deployed tear gas to disperse crowd b/c of vandalism: burning a #Ferguson police car, attempts to set fires, unlawful assembly.
— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) November 26, 2014
But there were still reports of violence on Twitter:
People just smashed up the Meineke car care center and then three a firework inside. Explosion and cheers. Police don't respond #Ferguson
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 26, 2014
In Atlanta, hundreds of protestors stopped traffic on the Downtown Connector, a six-lane interstate. Six people were reportedly arrested during the demonstration.
There were also reports of rallies in Baltimore, Boston, and D.C.
In California, hundreds of people tried to march on a Santa Barbara highway but were stopped by a "heavy police presence." Protestors in Los Angeles were able to lay barriers across the 101, while others gathered outside the LAPD headquarters in downtown L.A. In Oakland, rush-hour traffic on the I-980 and I-580 briefly stopped when protestors marched onto the freeways.
Huge gathering as protesters grow in number outside LAPD hq in downtown LA. #Ferguson #MichaelBrown pic.twitter.com/AcPH5Y2Xdu
— Marcus Yam (@yamphoto) November 26, 2014
LAPD readies nightsticks as crowd tries to push throw barrier pic.twitter.com/8mJVpFXGg3
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) November 26, 2014
Moments ago, protesters shut down traffic after throwing debris onto 101 Freeway http://t.co/froNWdJ2d4 pic.twitter.com/kwY9eV849c
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) November 26, 2014
In Cleveland, a group of people blocked off a highway in protest of another police shooting—12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was holding a fake gun when he died.
Police reportedly used gas on protestors in Denver:
BREAKING: Denver Police used gas to get protestors off the Colfax viaduct in Downtown Denver. #KDVR has crews on scene.
— Hillary Pfeiffer (@hpfeiffer) November 26, 2014
A driver reportedly plowed through a crowd of protestors in Minneapolis, trapping a woman's leg underneath the car. Witnesses say he accelerated into the intersection full of people Tuesday afternoon.
In New York, traffic was snarled for hours after thousands of protestors blocked access to the FDR Drive, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the Manhattan Bridge, chanting "Hands up, don't shoot."
NYPD officers were reportedly "largely non confrontational during the march."
The Times reports protestors in Portland, Oregon were pepper sprayed by cops and "several arrests" were made.
And in Rhode Island, a group of protestors briefly blocked traffic on Route 90.
#Ferguson makes its way to Rhode Island! Protest on the highway! pic.twitter.com/uRm4sKV0T6
— mcoop (@mcoop) November 26, 2014
[image via AP]