Most protesters appeared to have obeyed the new midnight curfew in Ferguson on Saturday night. But about 150 remained outside and briefly faced off with police, and some fired gunshots and critically wounded a man.
First night of Ferguson curfew ends in brief clashes
Nearly an hour after the curfew went into effect, police fired smoke and tear gas at the protesters in an effort to disperse the crowd. Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, captain of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, said the tear gas was used in response to reports of gunshots.
As police moved in, most of the remaining protesters appeared to leave. Police detained seven people for staying out past curfew.
One gunshot hit a man who, according to the latest reports, was in critical condition. As for other violence, Johnson said he was not aware of any looting.
Until Johnson’s 3 a.m. press briefing, many of the night’s details were unclear. It was very difficult for reporters throughout the evening to do their jobs, because they were confined to a media zone during curfew hours that was out of sight of a majority of the action. Police threatened to arrest reporters who tried to leave the media zone.
To learn more about the protests in Ferguson, read the full explainer, Vox’s timeline, and watch the two-minute video below:
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