News / Society

Federal report raps ‘highly elevated tactical response’ in Ferguson

Tuesday, 30 June 2015 10:28 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 30 June 2015 10:28 PM ]

File photo dated August 18, 2014 obtained courtesy of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and taken by David Carson shows a member of the St. Louis County Police tactical team firing tear gas into a crowd of people in response to a series of gunshots fired at police during demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri. (AFP)

US police used a “highly elevated tactical response” against protesters who poured into streets of Ferguson, Missouri, after an unarmed black teen was gunned down by a white cop, a report reveals.

The US Justice Department report, whose summary was us jobtained by The Associated Press and released on Tuesday, detailed police performance in protests following the last summer shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown (seen below).

According to the report, police violated free-speech rights and made it difficult to hold its forces accountable.

How the cops dealt with two weeks of protest there “produced a negative reaction” in the community and set a tone that “limited options for a measured, strategic approach”, read the report.

Protests gained momentum in Ferguson after a grand jury’s decision not to charge Darren Wilson for killing the teen.

“Had law enforcement released information on the officer-involved shooting in a timely manner and continued the information flow as it became available, community distrust and media skepticism would most likely have been lessened,” it added, noting, “The protests were ... also a manifestation of the long-standing tension between the Ferguson (police department) and the African American community.”

Instead, “vague and arbitrary” commands were issued for the protesters to keep moving.

“While law enforcement must meet its duty to protect people and property during mass demonstrations and protests,” the Justice Department said, “it can never do so at the expense of upholding the constitution and first amendment-protected rights.”