“The violence we saw in areas of Ferguson last night cannot be repeated,” declared Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, CNN reports. “We are bringing more resources to Ferguson and other parts of the region to prevent a repetition of the lawlessness experienced overnight.”
The governor announced that the initial deployment of 700 National Guardsmen was to be increased to 2,200 after Monday’s violence. In Ferguson 61 arrests were made, at least a dozen businesses were badly damaged or destroyed, as well as a dozen vehicles torched. In nearby St. Louis 21 arrests were made, where protestors also vandalized commercial property.
Protestors took to the streets in other American cities in a show of solidarity, including New York, where thousands of people marched in Manhattan, blocking traffic and chanting, "No justice, No peace.” CBC reports that hundreds of high school students in Seattle walked out of class, and hundreds marched in Cleveland, blocking traffic.
St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch, who made the decision to call a grand jury and not appoint a special prosecutor, drew criticism from victim Michael Brown’s family. “The process should be indicted,” declared attorney Benjamin Crump, CBS reports. “We could see what the outcome was going to be, and that is what occurred last night." Crump also called for all police officers across America to wear body video cameras.
McCulloch’s decision to make the announcement after dark at 8.30pm, with protestors already massed outside the Ferguson Police Department, also drew criticism for enabling the violence to take place.
