Peaceful marchers maintain as evening lengthens in Ferguson

Between 200 to 300 protesters still marched the sidewalks in small clusters, from Canfield Drive — near where Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer more than two weeks ago — to Ferguson Avenue and back again.

But police officers weren’t directing traffic. Squad cars had pulled down side streets. Traffic on West Florissant rolled unimpeded. In fact, at about 10:20 p.m., not a police car or officer was visible from the corner of West Florissant and Ferguson.

By 11 p.m., protesters gathered at West Florissant and Canfield, chanted loudly and mounted what appeared to be the night’s final, energetic march.

An hour later, perhaps 100 amassed at the McDonald's on West Florissant; There police in uniform, not riot gear, formed a line to keep the crowd off the main street. 

Police reported just one arrest as of 11 p.m. A man had kicked or punched a McDonald’s drive-through sign and tried to run.

Two more, however, were arrested in the late march. 

Earlier in the day, a man was shot in the city of St. Louis. Chief Sam Dotson said the shooting was not fatal, and “completely unrelated” to the Ferguson protest. 

— Joe Holleman and Kim Bell

PEACEFUL MARCH IN AFTERNOON

Between 300 and 400 people marched up and down West Florissant Avenue Saturday afternoon in a show of support for Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was shot and killed by Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson two weeks ago.

The peaceful march began around 2 p.m., and people marched about a half-mile north from the old Northland Shopping Center that has served as a police command post. That stretch of West Florissant to Canfield Drive was closed for about two hours for the march.

The march was organized by the St. Louis County chapter of the NAACP. Kenneth Murdock, a spokesman for the NAACP branch, said the march was organized to channel anger over Brown’s death into “positive activism” such as registering to vote or applying for higher education scholarships and grants.

“We have to kind of refocus from anger into activism,” Murdock said.

At the head of the marchers were Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ronald S. Johnson, St. Louis City Police Chief Sam Dotson and St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar.

“This sets the tone," Belmar said. "If people can see the police chiefs and the leaders of the NAACP together, that’s the message we have to get out there... In the future, when we have acute incidents, we have to be able to trust each other from the beginning.”

Marchers began the procession silently, and later broke into occasional chants. “Ain’t no power like the people’s power. Because the people’s power will vote,” the chanted at one point. Later, a man with a megaphone began yelling, “Courage!” and marchers responded with, “will not skip this generation!”

Billed as a youth march, people of all ages were present at the rally, which broke up around 2:45 p.m. After the march, people stayed around and congregated in small groups.

“We just want justice, nothing more nothing less,” said one marcher, Ann Hamilton, a 53-year-old retired St. Louis Public Schools teacher who lives in the Central West End. "We want to be treated like everyone else. We are not satisfied with what has happened.”

Gov. Jay Nixon arrived later. He did not respond to a Post-Dispatch reporter's questions, but he mingled with the crowd and spoke to protesters.

— Mark Schlinkmann

RALLY SUPPORTS WILSON

More than 100 people gathered Saturday in southwest St. Louis to show support for the Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, who fatally shot Michael Brown.

About 20 people held signs with messages such as “Justice Comes In All Colors” and “We Support PO Wilson.” Some motorists driving by honked in apparent solidarity.

Many in the largely white crowd wore T-shirts with a badge insignia. The gathering was on the parking lot and sidewalk outside Barney’s Sports Pub on Chippewa Street near Hampton Avenue.

Some people interviewed at the rally said the public should withhold judgment on Wilson’s actions in the shooting death of Brown until the investigation is completed. The judicial process should be respected, they said.

“Until the facts are all out, you can’t judge,” said one rally participant, Dave Mueller, 54, of St. Louis. Mueller said he has friends and family members in law enforcement.

But a woman who addressed rally-goers on behalf of the Support Darren Wilson Campaign said Wilson’s actions were “warranted and justified.”

She said supporters of Wilson have received death threats. “Can justice ever be attained if one side’s supporters live in fear of speaking out?” She would not identify herself.

Referring to reporters at the rally, she said “we want to thank the media for finally hitting the other side of the story.” However, she said media coverage has showed a clear “bias.”

— Jacob Barker

CALM IN FERGUSON

All was calm in Ferguson this morning with residents busying themselves with everyday activities.

Several groups were stationed in the Canfield Green Apartments near a memorial for Michael Brown with tables set up with giveaways for residents.

Sheree Ollie of Live Church in Jennings had her arms full of items she carried over to a table. She said today was a day of hope for St. Louis area churches gathering with food for anyone in the community. A band was being set up for music.

Ollie said it was going to be a day of music, praying, preaching, singing and dancing to uplift the community.

Nearby, a Crisis Nursery van sat with its rear door open full of packages of diapers, wipes, baby formula, backpacks, pajamas, toys, lotions and non-perishable food the group was giving out to residents. Dianne Mueller, chief executive officer, helped workers divide the items up.

“These are things mothers in the community told us that they needed,” Mueller said. “We are making sure that Crisis Nursery is right here in the community where they need us.”

Mueller heard that residents were having trouble getting out and sprung into action. They have been in the community all week providing services.

“It was important for us to be right here so they can get the help they need,” she said.

Mueller said several children came for services this week because of complications from tear gas.

“We were able to take care of that,” she said.

Two marches are planned for this afternoon in Ferguson, one by St. Louis 4 Unity and the other by Missouri NAACP youth leadership.

— Denise Hollinshed

PEACE MARCH PLANNED MONDAY

A “peace march” has been called for Monday afternoon by a new group called New Spirit of St. Louis and Gitana Productions Inc.

According to the Gitana website, the goal is to bring together “multicultural peace lovers” dressed in white. The three-hour event will begin at 3 p.m. at Greater St. Mark’s Family Church at 9950 Glen Owen near Ferguson.

“We will engage in conversations, spontaneous artistic expression and share our food from all over the world,” organizers said on the website.

They said “the demonstrators, residents and police need to feel this love unequivocally.”

-- Mark Schlinkmann