(St. Louis Public Radio) – Demonstrations decrying George Floyd’s death continued Sunday throughout the St. Louis area, including in Richmond Heights, Edwardsville and Ferguson, where the mayor declared a state of emergency and issued an 8 p.m. curfew.
The protests came as some officials representing areas that include Ferguson expressed solidarity with demonstrators, while condemning people who broke windows at the city’s police headquarters and nearby businesses late Saturday night.
One of the people conveying that message was St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, who served on the Ferguson City Council before his landmark election in 2018. Bell is the first African American to serve as the county’s top prosecutor. He won election with the support of a multi-racial voting coalition that has transformed the landscape of St. Louis County politics.
“I think it’s important that we don’t conflate what happened here,” Bell said in an interview with St. Louis Public Radio. “You have protesters all over the country, not just in this region, who are bringing light to an issue … that a light needs to be shined on. And then you have others who come later with their own agendas, and I think it’s just so important that we don’t conflate those two issues.”
Protests have spread throughout the country since George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody after an officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Hundreds marched through Clayton and University on Saturday afternoon, and protests continued in Ferguson late into the evening. Some people used baseball bats to smash the police station glass doors and windows and volleyed fireworks toward police and into the police station. Police eventually fired pepper spray and smoke grenades toward protesters.
The city was the site of mass demonstrations in 2014 when a Ferguson police officer shot and killed Michael Brown. The 18-year-old’s death became a rallying cry for people demanding an overhaul of how law enforcement treats African Americans — and brought about major changes to the north St. Louis County municipality.
Since Brown’s death, more African Americans have been elected to the city council, and black applicants were hired to key positions like police chief and city clerk. The city also signed a federal consent decree to instill changes in its police department and city government.
More protests over Floyd’s death are expected on Monday afternoon in St. Louis.
‘Take the focus off the real issue’
Sunday’s protests occurred as some elected officials were sharply criticizing people who were destroying property in Ferguson, noting that they’re taking attention from demonstrators who are trying to bring about policy change.
State Rep. Raychel Proudie, a Democrat who represents Ferguson in the Missouri House, questioned why people damaged property in a predominantly black city — yet didn’t do so in largely white Clayton.
And commenting on a photograph of a white man wielding a hammer near the Ferguson Police Department building, Sen. Brian Williams tweeted: “I am willing to bet he is still ALIVE and his neighborhood police department is safe and sound.”
County Prosecutor Bell called the damage to the Ferguson Police Department “heartbreaking,” noting that the people who recently led that agency sought to mandate big changes.
“These are people who are not your typical chiefs in the sense that they’re just sitting in their office and sending out orders,” Bell said. “They get out in the streets. They get out and talk to people. They get out and build relationships. And so, the changes that have been made when I was here and even since then, I think this takes away from that progress being made. The emphasis on community policing and not just from a policy standpoint, but down to individual officers right here in Ferguson and even around the region.
“And so, again it’s sad and we’ll get through this somehow,” he added.
Election on Tuesday
The protests in Ferguson are taking place shortly before Ferguson voters are slated to elect a new mayor.
Two council members, Heather Robinett and Ella Jones, are seeking to succeed James Knowles III as Ferguson’s top elected leader. Knowles is barred from running again by term limits.
The election is taking place under highly unusual circumstances. It was moved from April 7 to June 2 due to coronavirus concerns. And it comes as an unprecedented number of people in St. Louis County have requested absentee ballots.
Both Jones and Robinett say they’ve used alternatives to going door-to-door to get their message out. Robinett said she’s using live phone banking to connect with voters, while Jones has been using social media and the video chat app Zoom to get the word out about her campaign.
No matter who prevails on Tuesday, Ferguson will experience a milestone: It will be the first time a woman has held the office of mayor. And if Jones wins, she’ll be the first African American to hold the post.
Reporter Marissanne Lewis-Thompson contributed to this story.
Republished with permission of St. Louis Public Radio: https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/protests-continue-ferguson-past-curfew-officials-condemn-late-night-vandalism
