Ferguson riots: US attorney general to visit Missouri after another night of violence over shooting of black teenager

 
Clashes: Police and protesters clashed again in the suburb last night (Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
David Gardner19 August 2014

The US attorney general was today preparing to travel to the riot-hit town of Ferguson after fresh clashes erupted over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades after claiming they were bombarded with Molotov cocktails as the simmering anger over the shooting of Michael Brown, 18, in the St Louis suburb boiled over.

Peaceful protests earlier last night turned ugly after a tense standoff erupted in street battles.

Two CNN presenters were forced to don gas masks when they were caught up in the melee and another TV crew was pelted with rocks.

President Barack Obama repeated his call for calm and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon deployed the National Guard to quash what he called “a violent criminal element intent upon terrorising the community.”

Protection: Demonstrators cover their faces from tear gas fired by police (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Mr Obama expressed sympathy for the “passions and anger” sparked by Mr Brown’s death but said that looting and attacks on police “only serves to raise tensions and stir chaos”.

“Let’s seek to heal rather than to wound each other,” he said at the White House.

Overcoming the mistrust endemic between many communities and their local police would require Americans to “listen and not just shout,” he added.

“That’s how we’re going to move forward together, by trying to unite each other and understand each other and not simply divide ourselves from one another,” he added.

The president also said US Attorney General Eric Holder would travel to Ferguson later this week to meet with FBI and other officials carrying out an independent investigation into Mr Brown’s death.

Police presence: Officers point their weapons at demonstrators (Picture: REUTERS/Joshua Lott)

Activists from the New Black Panther Party and other community groups called for restraint from demonstrators enraged over the shooting on August 9 that has triggered nine nights of violent street clashes.

The teenager – accused by police of stealing cigars from a local shop – was shot six times in a confrontation with police officer Darren Wilson nearby. Witnesses claim Mr Brown was shot in the head as he tried to flee.

Wilson is on leave amid fears he could face revenge attacks.

Many activists said they feared the decision to call in the National Guard could escalate the seriousness of the clashes.

Rapper and St Louis native Nelly also spoke to marchers in a bid to ease the tension.

“We’ve got to understand that we have options and stop choosing the reaction option cause at the end of the day we’re going to pay - our brothers are gonna be the ones in jail,” he said.

The rapper, best known for his 2002 number one ‘Hot In Herre’, had been heavily criticised on social media in recent days for being of touch with what was happening in Ferguson after he called on local people to ‘calm down.’

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