T H E N O . 1 S T. L O U I S W E B S I T E A N D N E W S P A P E R
Friday • 08.15.2014 • $1.50
President Obama
Sen. McCaskill
Gov. Nixon
There’s ‘no excuse for police to use excessive force against peaceful protests ...’
‘This kind of response by the police has become the problem instead of the solution.’
‘We must also safeguard the rights of Missourians to peaceably assemble ...’
a unifying force? amid backlash, nixon puts patrol in charge in ferguson county prosecutor blasts move • hundreds gather peacefully under change of tactics
J.B. Forbes • jforbes@post-dispatch.com
Many people drove down West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson on Thursday, honking their horns, raising their arms and holding signs. No violence was reported.
COMMANDER promises ‘different approach’
McClellan: We’re fine here, for now • A17 Merchants move forward Business • B1
By Kevin McDermott kmcdermott@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8268
Facing a withering national judgment that a community in his state had come to look like “a war zone,” Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon ordered on Thursday that the Missouri Highway Patrol take over security of Ferguson from St. Louis County police and vowed “a different tone” to that police presence. “What’s gone on here over the last few days is not what Missouri’s about, it’s not what Ferguson’s about,” said Nixon, referring to imagery of tear gas, police in body armor, automatic weapons pointed at unarmed civilians and questionable arrests. “(It’s) a Missouri community, but lately it’s looked a little bit more like a war zone, and that’s See Brown • Page A10
TODAY
87°/70°
State of change
PARTLY SUNNY
TOMORROW
88°/73° CHANCE OF RAIN
Weather A22
A new sheriff in town Editorial • A18
Meet Ronald S. Johnson At war in the suburbs
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Twitter boots Anonymous French in the spotlight Full coverage Live updates
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• A7-A12
• STLtoday.com
lines blurring between military and police gear
Police MISSTEPS AFTER shooting Fueled the crisis
By Robert Patrick and Joel Currier Post-Dispatch
By Jeremy Kohler jkohler@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8337
FERGUSON • The focus on continuing protests here turned Thursday toward paramilitary tactics and equipment that critics — even among some law enforcement leaders — say have provoked violence from the crowds. Calls for St. Louis County and Ferguson police to “demilitarize” the response ranged from people
Deluged with questions and outrage after the killing of an unarmed teen by police in Ferguson, authorities at times seemed to get nothing right. First there were statements by the St. Louis County police chief, whose agency was called in for an independent investigation, that seemed to reflexively take the side of the Ferguson
See Gear • Page A8
See Tactics • Page A8
Queen of summer
Iraqi prime minister resigns
Katy Perry anthems have ruled airwaves.
Dispute over Ukraine aid convoy
GO! magazine
Cards beat the Padres, 4-3
Liberia gets Ebola drug
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2 M Vol. 136, No. 227 ©2014
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