Thousands of people gathered for peaceful vigils Thursday night in dozens of cities across the country from San Francisco to Boston to remember Michael Brown, the unarmed young black man shot and killed on Saturday by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. In a move to restore calm, Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri turned to a commander from the state's highway patrol to oversee security efforts in Ferguson, where local and county police have clashed with protesters in recent days. The Times provided updates.
12:03 A.M. Photos: Vigils Across the Nation
11:34 P.M. Video of Peaceful Protests Thursday Night in Ferguson
A video from the Associated Press shows peaceful protests Thursday night in Ferguson, Mo., a sharp contrast from the images of violent clashes between police and protesters the night before.
Earlier in the evening, CNN's Jake Tapper spoke to Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. At the request of Missouri's governor, Captain Johnson is now supervising security in this suburb north of St. Louis.
"A young man lost his life and so I grieve for that family because I have a son," Mr. Johnson said. "We are going to look at this from a personal standpoint."
He vowed that he would not put officers on the street with tear gas or other military-style equipment unless such resources were needed.
10:34 P.M. Protesters are Arrested in Florida
Arrests are happening!!!!!! #handsup http://t.co/eRurBlr4ta
— The Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) 14 Aug 14
Eight people, protesting the killings of unarmed young people by police, were arrested in Florida on Thursday after refusing to leave the office of the United States Attorney in Miami, a civil rights group said.
When police arrived, they chanted, "Hands up, don't shoot."
The Dream Defenders, a group that organized the protest, said in a post on Twitter that they were demanding a federal investigation into the death of Israel Hernandez-Llach, an 18-year-old graffiti artist who was killed last year by a Miami Beach police officer who shot him with a Taser stun gun.
The protesters, who demanded investigations of police departments serving the Miami area, stayed in the lobby as part of their effort to request a meeting with Wifredo A. Ferrer, the United States Attorney for the Southern district in Florida.
They just locked us out of the lobby and 8 heroic people stayed. WE WILL BE HEARD. #handsup http://t.co/Q7zrlx3S7G
— The Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) 14 Aug 14
Members of the group said the deaths of Mr. Hernandez-Llach and Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, revealed the heavy-handed police tactics used around the country.
The shooting of Mr. Brown followed the death of Eric Garner, 43, in New York City and John Crawford, 22, in Beaverton, Ohio; it was followed by the death of Ezell Ford, 24, in Los Angeles.
The group also wanted the Mr. Ferrer's office to investigate the death of Danny Cruz, a 16-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer inside a gas station in Miami after the clerk pressed a panic button. The police said they found a gun in the boy's jacket.
We see that the crisis in #Ferguson is connected to NY, to Ohio, to CA and here in Miami. #handsup
— The Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) 14 Aug 14
We are demanding a federal investigation into the murder of Israel Hernandez and an investigation of Miami Beach Police. #handsup
— The Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) 14 Aug 14
When the protesters did not leave, police handcuffed the doors and later the protesters.
— Ashley Southall
9:00 P.M. Family of Michael Brown Attends St. Louis Vigil
The family of Michael Brown attended a vigil in St. Louis on Thursday night, where a cousin, Eric Davis, spoke to CNN as the mother of Mr. Brown, Lesley McSpadden, stood at his side.
"Michael, was a funny, gentle soul," Mr. Davis told CNN. "He always made you laugh and smile. He was a big guy in stature but when he opened his mouth, he had a quiet voice."
Mr. Davis expressed frustration with local police officials for not being transparent about the investigation into the shooting. He said that family members spoke with Eric Holder Jr., the attorney general of the United States, today but he declined to comment about the discussion.
"At the present time, we have no trust in the Ferguson Police Department, Mr. Davis said. "They have not been transparent. We're still looking for answers. They have not been transparent in any shape, form or fashion. We're in the dark and that's hard to do when you lose a child, especially your first born."
The mother of Michael Brown attending a memorial gathering for her son in downtown St Louis http://t.co/KGfeQcOvGn
— Aleem Maqbool (@AleemMaqbool) 15 Aug 14
Michael Brown's mother is here, totally overcome. Many yells of support. #MikeBrown #NMOS14 http://t.co/AvcTqgCO3G
— Kelly Moffitt (@stlbizkmoffitt) 14 Aug 14
7:47 P.M. Live Video of Vigil in Ferguson, Mo.
The Fox affiliate in St. Louis is providing live video from Ferguson, Mo., where people have gathered for a vigil, one of dozens of vigils drawing huge crowds across the country.
7:30 P.M. Moment of Silence Observed
At 7:20 p.m. Eastern, people around the country observed a moment of silence at vigils held from Boston to San Francisco.
Many of those attending vigils raised their arms as part of a campaign on social media called Hands Up, Don't Shoot.
Moment of silence observed with 90 cities around the world #NMOS14 SF http://t.co/4bZs0AXkED
— #Ferguson (@non_seq) 14 Aug 14
At #NMOS14 here in Houston with the kiddo and @xymarla. http://t.co/SIQ0Cdq6L4
— the erin e (@likepenguins) 14 Aug 14
Crowd has swelled to thousands for moment of silence in Boston. #NMOS14 #HandsUpDontShoot http://t.co/D8fNZAvYpM
— Collin Rees (@collinrees) 14 Aug 14
6:13 P.M. Vigils Planned Thursday Night Across the Country
At your #NMOS14 vigil today don't forget to remind people that this doesn't end with the vigil. We won't stop until there is change!
— NMOS14 (@NMOS14) 14 Aug 14
As our colleague Tanzina Vega reports, organizers are planning vigils starting 7 p.m. Eastern, Thursday in more than 90 cities around the country to commemorate victims of police brutality.
Most of the events were organized on social media by a loose network of Twitter and Facebook users under the hashtag #NMOS14, which stands for National Moment of Silence.
A Facebook page was also created to list events.
Organizers asked participants to join them in "peaceful vigils honoring the innocent lives lost." They asked people to wear a red ribbon or bandanna and to observe a "moment of silence" starting at 7:20 p.m. Eastern.
Organizers in Washington, D.C. and Chicago are expecting the largest crowds.
5:34 P.M. New Police Commander Promises Different Approach
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, appointed by the governor to supervise security efforts in Ferguson, said he would be taking a different policing approach with protesters starting Thursday night.
Captain Johnson, who is black and grew up in the area, said he planned to meet with demonstrators on Thursday evening. "My boots will be on the ground," he said.
"I understand the anger and fear the citizens of Ferguson are feeling, and they've been heard," he said. "I plan on walking myself to the QuickTrip, which has been called Ground Zero, and talking to folks myself."
He added, "We will have a different approach today."
In response to concern that local and county police officers have been using military equipment and military-style tactics to control crowds, Captain Johnson said that he would consider removing resources that police did not need.
However, he said, "when we do need resources, they will be there."
Gov. Jay Nixon asked Captain Johnson to take over the security responsibilities from local and county police officers following widespread criticism of police tactics believed to have fueled tensions in the aftermath of a police shooting of an unarmed young black man on Saturday.
The change is part of what the governor referred to as "an operational shift" to try to reduce tensions in the St. Louis suburb.
The people of Ferguson "want their streets to be free of intimidation and fear" he said, but during the past few days, "it looked a little bit more like a war zone and that's not acceptable."
"Ferguson will not be defined as a community torn apart by violence," he said.
The governor said there will be an immediate difference in policing beginning Thursday evening, which will include employing force "only when necessary" and for officers to generally "step back a little bit."
Officers, he said, will be "maintaining the peace but allowing more movement – try to bring in a different tone."
"All of us have seen some level of escalation," he said. "We feel we need to dim that acceleration — provide folks an avenue for speaking."
However, he said the more nuanced approach "doesn't mean we're giving up on the rule of law."
— Timothy Williams
4:15 P.M. Missouri Governor: Highway Patrol Will Police Ferguson
Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri said that the Missouri State Highway Patrol would take over the supervision of security responsibilities in Ferguson, Mo., where local and county police officers have clashed with protesters in the five days since Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday.
He said leaders from the highway patrol division would supervise policing during protests and crowd control.
Mr. Nixon said the highway patrol officers, however, would not be involved in the investigation into the shooting.
He said that he welcomed the Justice Department's "parallel" investigation into the death of Mr. Brown, who was 18 years old.
"We're going to all need to join hands," Mr. Nixon said, adding that he had been listening to local residents who want peace and not intimidation on their streets.
"Lately, it looks more like a war zone," Mr. Nixon said.
4:02 P.M. Live Video of Missouri Governor News Conference
Live video of Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri at a news conference about Ferguson, Mo.
4:01 P.M. Senator Rand Paul Calls for Demilitarizing Police
We Must Demilitarize the Police. #Ferguson #PoliceState READ my Op-Ed: http://t.co/E9TBaDrwR9 @TIME
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) 14 Aug 14
Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, published an opinion article in Time calling for the demilitarzation of local police departments.
"The outrage in Ferguson is understandable — though there is never an excuse for rioting or looting," Mr. Paul wrote. "There is a legitimate role for the police to keep the peace, but there should be a difference between a police response and a military response.
"The images and scenes we continue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action."
3:47 P.M. Holder Expresses Concern About Military Equipment
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. issued a statement after his meeting with President Obama on Thursday about the situation in Ferguson, expressing concern that the "deployment of military equipment and vehicles sends a conflicting message."
Mr. Holder said that officials from the Justice Department had conveyed these concerns to the local authorities.
He also said that local officials had accepted the department's offer to provide "technical assistance" to help conduct crowd control and maintain public safety without relying on unnecessarily extreme displays of force.
The full statement:
This morning, I met with President Obama to discuss the events in Ferguson, Missouri. Like the President, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Michael Brown. While his death has understandably caused heartache within the community, it is clear that the scenes playing out in the streets of Ferguson over the last several nights cannot continue.
For one thing, while the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, acts of violence by members of the public cannot be condoned. Looting and willful efforts to antagonize law enforcement officers who are genuinely trying to protect the public do nothing to remember the young man who has died. Such conduct is unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned.
By the same token, the law enforcement response to these demonstrations must seek to reduce tensions, not heighten them. Those who peacefully gather to express sympathy for the family of Michael Brown must have their rights respected at all times. And journalists must not be harassed or prevented from covering a story that needs to be told.
At a time when we must seek to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the local community, I am deeply concerned that the deployment of military equipment and vehicles sends a conflicting message. At my direction, Department officials have conveyed these concerns to local authorities. Also at my direction, the Department is offering – through our COPS office and Office of Justice Programs – technical assistance to local authorities in order to help conduct crowd control and maintain public safety without relying on unnecessarily extreme displays of force. The local authorities in Missouri have accepted this offer of assistance as of this afternoon.
Department officials from the Community Relations Service are also on the ground in Missouri to help convene law enforcement officials and civic and faith leaders to plot out steps to reduce tensions in the community. The latest such meeting was convened in Ferguson as recently as this morning. Over time, these conversations should consider the role that increased diversity in law enforcement can play in helping to build trust within communities.
All the while, the federal civil rights investigation into the shooting incident itself continues, in parallel with the local investigation into state law violations. Our investigators from the Civil Rights Division and U.S. attorney's office in Missouri have already conducted interviews with eyewitnesses on the scene at the time of the shooting incident on Saturday. Our review will take time to conduct, but it will be thorough and fair.
3:19 P.M. Local Official Said Police Should Not Have Arrested Him
Antonio French, an alderman from St. Louis who was arrested during protests in Ferguson on Wednesday night, said that police officers should not have arrested him and that he should not have had to spend the night in jail, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Speaking to reporters after his release from jail on Thursday, Mr. French described the dozen or so other people arrested as "peacekeepers."
"Inside that jail is nothing but peacekeepers," he said. "They rounded up the wrong people … reverends, young people organizing the peace effort."
Mr. French has been documenting the protests on Twitter and Instagram in the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer. On Thursday afternoon, he posted photos of protesters outside police headquarters.
He also posted photos from Wednesday night's protest that he was not able to share before his arrest.
Some photos from last night in #Ferguson that I didn't get to post before I was arrested. http://t.co/sFxxrAIQ93
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) 14 Aug 14
Some photos from last night in #Ferguson that I didn't get to post before I was arrested. http://t.co/vhU8AgjUmF
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) 14 Aug 14
1:33 P.M. Senator McCaskill Criticizes 'Military' Approach
Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri said that the police response had become "more of the problem" than the solution.
"It escalated the situation," she said, speaking to reporters at a firehouse in Ferguson. "It didn't de-escalate the situation."
Ms. McCaskill said that the "military" approach that the police had embraced was not working. She called on police officers to get back to "good, solid police work" that would keep protesters safe.
2:41 P.M. Twitter Account Associated With Anonymous Suspended
A Twitter account that was used by Anonymous, the loose hacker collective, has been suspended after posts were made claiming to identify the police officer involved in the shooting of an unarmed black man in Ferguson, Mo., on Saturday.
Thomas Jackson, the police chief in Ferguson, said the name that was published by Anonymous does not belong to an officer in St. Louis County or in Ferguson. He also said officials were discussing whether to name the officer, whose identity has been kept secret since the shooting.
Anonymous, which was using a Twitter account called @theanonmessage, is now posting updates on another account, @theanonmessage2.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a group of hackers who say they are associated with Anonymous claimed responsibility for bringing down the county government's website.
2:07 P.M. Ferguson Police Chief Defends Police Tactics
Thomas Jackson, the police chief in Ferguson, Mo., defended police tactics during protests in the aftermath of the shooting on Saturday of an unarmed black man by a police officer.
"If anybody was arrested, as far as I can understand, it was because they were in an area that was being cleared by police," Chief Jackson said.
He said that heavily armed officers with military-style equipment would continue to be deployed if the authorities determined that circumstances warranted it.
"The tactical units will be out there," Chief Jackson said.
"If the crowd is being violent, and you don't want to be violent, get out of the crowd," he said.
Chief Jackson also said that various federal, state and local officials were meeting Thursday to discuss the police response to the protests, in part to determine if the actions of officers have exacerbated the conflict.
"We're going to talk about not only the tactics," he said, "but the appearance" of the officers, who have been equipped with riot gear and assault rifles during the demonstrations.
Chief Jackson said that officials were also discussing whether to release the name of the officer, but that a decision had not yet been made.
"We're having some conversations about that today," he said.
Chief Jackson said a name released by the hacker group Anonymous was incorrect.
"That's not the name," he said.
1:15 P.M. Obama Calls for Calm in Ferguson
President Obama, who has asked the Justice Department and the F.B.I. to investigate the shooting of Michael Brown, said the attorney general "should do what is necessary to help determine exactly what happened, and to see that justice is done."
He also called on law enforcement officials in Missouri to be "open and transparent" about the investigation of the shooting.
Speaking from Martha's Vineyard, where he is vacationing with his family, Mr. Obama was also critical of the tactics used by local law enforcement officers in Ferguson during protests. He also questioned the arrests of reporters in Ferguson.
"In the United States of America, police should not be bullying or arresting journalists who are trying to do their jobs," Mr. Obama said.
Mr. Obama said that he had spoken to Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri. "I expressed my concern over the violent turn of events," he said.
"Now's the time for healing. Now's the time for peace and calm on the streets of Ferguson," he said.
12:43 P.M. Live video of Missouri Governor Speaking About Ferguson
Live video of Governor Nixon, speaking about the protests and police clashes with residents in Ferguson, Mo., in the aftermath of a shooting of a young black man, Michael Brown.
12:34 P.M. Missouri Governor Expected to Replace County Police
Gov. Jay Nixon is expected to announce that St. Louis County law enforcement officers will be relieved of duty in Ferguson, according to Senator Claire McCaskill, who met with reporters outside a meeting of faith and civic leaders near St. Louis.
Representative William Lacy Clay of Missouri also told Bloomberg News that the governor was planning to remove the county officers.
"The governor just called me, and he's on his way to St. Louis now to announce he's taking away St. Louis County police out of the situation," Mr. Clay, a Democrat, told Bloomberg. He added that Mr. Nixon may ask the F.B.I. to step in.
Mr. Clay also told Bloomberg that he had been urging Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to "take over the entire situation because we will not get justice for Michael Brown and his family and friends if the St. Louis County police and prosecutor have a say."
12:19 P.M. Live Video: President Obama Speaks About Ferguson, Mo.
12:04 P.M. Live Video from Meeting of Faith and Civic Leaders
Live video from a meeting of faith and civic leaders in St. Louis, where Gov. Jay Nixon is expected to speak. The leaders are members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition.
11:57 A.M. A Selection of Front Pages From Around the Country
Several newspapers led with the story about the clashes between residents and the police in Ferguson, Mo., on Thursday morning.
11:52 A.M. Video Shows Al Jazeera TV Crew Struck by Tear Gas
Photos: Police fire teargas at @ajam reporters in #Ferguson http://t.co/GFfUhHivmH http://t.co/4ZfU3XuObr
— Al Jazeera America (@ajam) 14 Aug 14
A video shows a television crew from Al Jazeera America overcome with tear gas fired near their vehicle in Ferguson.
Minutes later, the police took down the crew's lighting equipment and pointed the camera at the ground.
11:31 A.M. Ferguson Police Chief Expected to Make Statement
Thomas Jackson, the police chief in Ferguson, Mo., is expected to make a statement at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
10:45 A.M. Missouri Governor Plans to Visit Ferguson
As Governor, I'm committed to ensuring pain of last weekend's tragedy does not continue to be compounded by this ongoing crisis. #Ferguson
— Governor Jay Nixon (@GovJayNixon) 14 Aug 14
The governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, said he was canceling his plans for Thursday in order to visit Ferguson.
In a statement, he asked for calm and urged law enforcement to respect the rights of residents.
The worsening situation in Ferguson is deeply troubling, and does not represent who we are as Missourians or as Americans. While we all respect the solemn responsibility of our law enforcement officers to protect the public, we must also safeguard the rights of Missourians to peaceably assemble and the rights of the press to report on matters of public concern.
I have been closely monitoring the situation and will continue to be in communication with local leaders, and I will be in north St. Louis County Thursday. As governor, I am committed to ensuring the pain of last weekend's tragedy does not continue to be compounded by this ongoing crisis. Once again, I ask that members of the community demonstrate patience and calm while the investigation continues, and I urge law enforcement agencies to keep the peace and respect the rights of residents and the press during this difficult time.
9:26 A.M. Two Reporters Arrested
Two reporters, Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post and Ryan J. Reilly of The Huffington Post, who were covering the protests, were arrested on Wednesday night at a McDonald's on suspicion of trespassing and later released without charges or an explanation. Both news organizations criticized the arrests, with the executive editor of The Washington Post, Martin D. Baron, saying that the newspaper was "appalled by the conduct of police officers involved."
Mr. Lowery captured his arrest on video and gave this account in The Washington Post.
8:45 A.M. Protests Documented on Social Media
Overnight, the police used tear gas to disperse protesters who again took to the streets in this suburb north of St. Louis.
The protests were documented on social media, as our colleague Ashley Southall reports.
8:42 A.M. Opening of Schools Delayed in Ferguson
Citing the unrest in the streets, the Ferguson-Florissant School District announced that classes scheduled to start Thursday would be delayed until Monday.
Here is the statement from the school district.
Just Announced: Monday, August 18, is the first day of school.
The decision has been made to cancel school on Thursday, August 14, and on Friday, August 15, in response to concerns expressed by many about continuing unrest in our community. In order to allow additional time for the situation to stabilize and for all of our students and their families to resume normal routines, we will reschedule the first day of school for Monday, August 18. All staff members are to report to their assigned buildings. We believe that this change will help ensure a strong start to the new school year.
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