Because of preemptive efforts by the police the scheduled 4:30 p.m. shutdown ofI-70 and Hanley didn’t take place as planned.
The latest large scale demonstration to protest the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown was met by a large police presence that was prepared to arrest masses on site.
Some in the crowd began to gather nearly two hours before the proposed shutdown – which was set to symbolize the four and a half hours Michael Brown’s body lay on the street in the Canfield Green Apartments after he was fatally shot by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.
Police blocked the highway off before the protesters had a chance to do so. Some attempted to form a human chain and were preparing to go forward with the act of civil disobedience organized by Zaki Baruti, Anthony Shahid and Eric Vickers.
They were arrested – as were those who failed to comply with the proverbial line law enforcement ordered protesters not to cross.
Among those arrested were Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.