Pig’s head used in Ferguson anniversary protest

The fatal shooting of Brown by former officer Darren Wilson, sparked sometimes violent clashes between protesters and police, unfolding before Americans on live television. If it weren’t for this lawlessness – and that’s what I still call it – it’s unlikely the death of this young black man at the hands of a white police officer would have ever led to the igniting of a movement, and the burning of parts of the city.

The Justice Department reached the same conclusion in March, clearing Wilson.

Brown’s father said a lot of families in the St. Louis area and across the nation are hurting because they’ve lost loved ones to police violence. They could be better.

“Just as there are those who have awakened, we will have the Rip Van Winkles of the community…” In order to fix police-community relations, we must remind law enforcement that they are serving a community of American citizens – not some war zone.

The pop-pop-pop of a white police officer’s gunshots. “Whatever I can do to empower us as people, that’s my mission”.

Bell says he knows frustrations remain, especially among young black residents who feel alienated from the police – a problem he says isn’t unique to Ferguson. Many declined to be named, out of fear of attracting unwanted police attention.

“We must to continue to communicate with one another”, said Councilwoman Jones.

But she still advises her 13-year-old stepson never to agitate a police officer for fear of what the officer might do.

Ferguson interim Police Chief Andre Anderson stood alongside St Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar and Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol on West Florissant Avenue, waving to participants in the afternoon parade and shaking hands with some.

Walking through the street with his four children, Monterio Pattman of St. Louis said things have gotten worse since Michael Brown was shot previous year.

“A lot has changed”.

“It’s like night and day (this year compared to last year)”, Rhone said.

“Change is hard and takes time”. “We have to work together in order to improve things in this community”.

The looting and burning of the Ferguson QuikTrip became a flashpoint in the unrest that engulfed Ferguson in the days and weeks after the shooting. The crowd was peaceful and the event went on without any confrontations.

“The whole entire trick is for those to have the opportunity to voice, to manifest their emotions”, said Ferguson policemen Sergeant Dominica Fuller, one of five AfricanovervallenAmericans throughout the 50-member regulate push.

Officers are being trained to be more “compassionate”, to offer warnings instead of traffic tickets if the circumstances allow for it, and to spend more time at community events.

During Saturday’s march, Missouri state troopers handed out ice pops and water bottles to protesters depleted by the humidity. “Now they are more tolerant”. “But, we do engage the residents and work to find out what it is that the residents are concerned about and what it is that’s important to them”.

Ferguson Mayor James Knowles has said the city has made many reforms in the last year, though it still has more to do.

Morris says she was comforted by a letter written by a student at a junior high that had “adopted” her. “If there’s no rain, there’s no rainbow”, the girl wrote.