Police shut down mysterious 'Oath Keepers' guarding rooftops in downtown Ferguson

St Louie Post Dispatch ^ | November 29, 2014 | Jesse Bogan

[Second Amendment First]

Police questioned group members early in the week and allowed them to stay. But Saturday, after an inquiry by a reporter, St. Louis County Police officers ordered the Oath Keepers to leave the rooftops.

Threatened with arrest for operating without a license, the volunteers argued but eventually left their positions early Saturday morning, Rhodes said.

"We are going to go back as protesters," Rhodes said Saturday afternoon.

Rhodes, who said he is Mexican-American, stressed that Oath Keepers is not anti-government. He said the group volunteers pulling rooftop security in Ferguson were current or former government employees and first responders, many who have intense military, police and EMS training.

“We thought they were going to do it right this time,” Rhodes said of government response to the grand jury decision released Monday night in the Darren Wilson case. “But when Monday rolled around and they didn’t park the National Guard at these businesses, that’s when we said we have got to do something.

“Historically, the government almost always fails to protect people,” he added.

[greeneyes]

Could have been. Ferguson is just one town in St. Louis County. There are 100 all jammed together with basically no space to speak of between them. Ninety are incorporated and 10 are unincorporated.

Clayton is the county seat and it’s city hall is only about 12 minutes away from Ferguson. It’s a well to do area. Similarly there is a very wealthy area in West County - professional athletes live there.

I am kinda wondering if they just decided to let Ferguson go and concentrate on keeping the mob contained there, so that the other areas were all safe. Ferguson only has 20,000 people - millions live within a 30 minute radius.

They did manage to escape the net and set a fire next to Dellwood city Hall, but that was taken care of in short order.

[greeneyes]

It was the St. Louis County Police - not Ferguson. Gov. Nixon and the media didn’t like the way Ferguson police went all military and cracked down.

So the Gov. relegated the Ferguson Mayor, Police Chief, and LEOs to the back of the bus, and brought in St. Louis County Police and Police Chief (unified command) and STL County Executive.

St. Louis County Police Chief Belmar is the one that gave the stand down order. I saw him admit it on live TV. He stated that he told the LEOs: Guys, lets just let them go and treat it like any other large crowd event (sports/street festival). Maybe it won’t be too bad.

The governor usurped the authority of the duly elected officials in Ferguson. Belmar and his crew will pack up and go home when it’s over leaving the blame and cleanup to Ferguson. It’s not their community.

[Smokin' Joe]

Lethal force can’t be used by an individual to protect property - just for self defense. Even then you have to be in fear for your life or the life of others.

So, they could only shoot if their lives were threatened.

If I'm standing on a rooftop and some miscreant has a molotov cocktail, do I have to wait until the building under me is in flames or can I drop them and let them stew in their own juices?

[greeneyes]

Yep, I’ve already complained. The Republican Legislature has already passed some laws to improve gun rights, but they need to consider doing some more.

We have:
1. Shall issue
2. No registration
3. CCW with license.
4. Open carry
5. Castle Doctrine
6. Stand your ground
7. Travel through the state with your gun in a vehicle and can be in the glove compartment for example without a CCW license.

Of course, the trouble comes when judges “interpret the law” as we have seen elsewhere. Some of these are too recent to have any case law yet.

[Califreak]

I wondered if they sacrificed Ferguson for the greater good also

What a shame

[Smokin' Joe]

And then there is this: less than lethal shotgun ammo

[greeneyes]

It is a shame. They are all Democrats, so who knows what their beady brains came up with. Gov. Nixon, STL County Executive, STL City Mayor Democrats all. Ferguson voters are a drop in the bucket compared to the number of County and Statewide voters, so there you have it.

[Pollster1]

What about for non residents of Missouri?

Non-residents can open carry: "The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States" [Article. IV. Section. 2. U.S. Constitution]. What they cannot do is defend themselves or property under castle doctrine, since it is not their property. In Missouri, Oath Keepers from out of town have a duty to retreat if they can safely avoid the risk of harm or death.

[TigerClaws]

NEW YORK TIMES story at the very end mentions they are going after ‘unlicensed’ security forces.

http://weaselzippers.us/206751-who-are-county-police-hassling-in-ferguson-not-rioters-but-armed-oath-keepers-providing-security-for-free-to-businesses/

Never mind finding the rioters, arsonists, gangbangers, oh and murderers from community...

[trebb]

What is “mysterious” about the Oath Keepers?

If you are a Leftist, anything dealing with integrity, honesty, keeping oaths or keeping promises, is a mysterious concept.

[eartick]

“Companies hire private security all the time and they’re armed. This is no different.”

Big difference. There are license and training that go with private security firms. Not to mention the books and books of laws.....

Rhodes and company have had conversations about this. They ran into a brick wall when trying to operate down south

If you worry about the “legaleeze” it will eat you up and the FERAL Government will always win. You see, they make the laws to scare you with what dangers await you if you break the law. I worry about the dangers if I do not break some of them. You will sit back and opportunity will pass you by to advance on the enemy.

[old curmudgeon]

My point was that the reporter tried to equate it with the KKK, which is mysterious (clothed in secrecy).

[trebb]

Thanks - your intent wasn’t obvious from the thread I read - makes sense now.

[tanknetter]

Companies hire private security all the time and they’re armed. This is no different.

There is a difference, and you point it out by using the word "hire" ... whereas these Oath Keepers were apparently volunteers.

There are a LOT of security firms, from mall rent-a-jerk firms all the way up to Blackwater/Executive Outcomes level organizations, making an absolute MINT off of providing armed protection in Ferguson.

"Volunteers" providing the services for free cuts into that business.

I'd bet it's no more complicated than that. I wonder how many of the security firms providing paid security services are unionized? Anyone recall from a while back about how some unions were targeting the Boy Scouts because the Scouts were stepping all over "union jobs" territory by their volunteer improvement work to public parks?

[fwdude]

Bull CRAP. People protecting property is NOT against the law.

LOL! Your type of thinking is so last-year.

This government now backs thieves.

[jimbug]

If the government, at whatever level, fails in its duty to protect its citizens, through whom they have been given the power to govern, they lose their right to hold office.

To put a finer point on it, when a local police force fails to keep order, and obstructs the citizenry from protecting itself, they have just become as much a target as any other oppressor or lawbreaker.

[Califreak]

Law abiding people are far easier to go after and make an example of

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Depends on the state

[greeneyes]

I was speaking about Missouri.

[Tired of Taxes]

The other group (at the link posted by OL Hickory) was threatened with arrest until the business owner rushed to their defense.

So, the question is: Did the business owners step up to defend the Oath Keepers?

(The rest of the story is not visible at the link, so I can’t read the whole article.)