'This Is Not Open For Discussion' — Massive SWAT Team Tells Peaceful Protesters In Ferguson To Leave

Business Insider ^ | 08/13/2014 | Paul Szoldra

[BuckeyeTexan]

A large police SWAT team showed up to a peaceful demonstration in Ferguson, Missouri and the scene is getting increasingly tense, reports Huffington Post's Ryan J. Reilly, who is currently on the ground.

Soon after the team of more than 70 officers came on the scene, they told protesters they needed to leave the area and that "this [was] not open for discussion," Reilly tweeted. MSNBC reporter Trymain Lee tweeted that police told the crowd, "Go home, return to your vehicles. The protesters responded, "Mike can't go home!"

"Your right to assembly is not being denied," the police said later over a loudspeaker.

[Thurifer the Censer]

I have always said that the greatest threat of civil unrest comes not from rural “militias” but from the urban poor.

[GeronL]

BUMP

right on the money

[dfwgator]

That pesky “Freedom of Assembly” thing.

[beelzepug]

But not in a community of 21,000. Where are these small towns getting all this heavy equipment? And why?

[maine yankee]

Broadcastify is having problems picking up the police band for that area.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Police detained two journalists, demanded IDs.

[Jim Robinson]

It’s not very patriotic to loot and burn business establishments (three nights running). You don’t see this kind of activity at tea party protests.

[BlueNgold]

BTT

[morphing libertarian]

How many nights does a riot have to continue to impose a curfew and call out the guard?

[BuckeyeTexan]

Pastor preaching and saving souls over a megaphone from the back of a truck. Wow.

[Ray76]

“the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” does not include assembling to loot or for mayhem

[rdcbn]

Call me crazy, but having a bunch of angry gang banger hot heads getting up in the faces of riot police and baiting them by sticking their hands in the air and jumping up and down while taunting the cops by repeating the mantra “don't shoot, don't shoot” does not constitute a peaceful protest vigil

[dfwgator]

I don’t disagree with that. But have their been any riots yet today?

Is there an official curfew in place?

[BuckeyeTexan]

I don't know. They look awfully rowdy and violent to me. /s

[Dr. Sivana]

You don’t see this kind of activity at tea party protests.

I know that, but I wouldn't put it beyond Obama to plant a few saboteurs acting like Tea Partiers in a crowd to justify treating all as criminals, or better yet to provoke some into aggression and hope it gets out of control, so he can crack down in his own manner.

[DeWalt]

You look at the faces in this peaceful assembly and when the looting starts again you will see their ass hanging through the store window getting all they can get. Run them off, they had their protest.

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

This is the response looters deserve.

[rickomatic]

Maybe I missed something the past couple days with all the Robin Williams adulation going on. I thought the rioting and looting happened the first night. Has it continued? Or have there just been angry protests? I made a snap judgement on this case at first, in the favor of the police. I am beginning to rethink my position in light of these latest police statements. Whether you are black or white, composed or angry, your Constitutional right to peaceably assemble is NOT negotiable.

[Jim Robinson]

Three nights of mob violence and running.

[BuckeyeTexan]

@WesleyLowery: “We cannot guarantee your safety. We will not be answering 911 calls”