Ferguson security chief wants peaceful protesters to stay home
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Ron Johnson, the Highway Patrol captain managing security in Ferguson, Missouri, said Tuesday that "peaceful protesters" should stay home.
In an interview with MSNBC, Johnson said that protesters should let the authorities handle "those who have been ruining our community." Johnson suggested that some people are using the protests as an opportunity to "loot stores and attack officers."
"Today, my hope is the peaceful protesters will stay home and protest during the daytime and stay home at night and let us take those who have been ruining our community and take them and deal with them," Johnson said.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Johnson's remarks come after "heavy gunfire" in Ferguson on Monday night, in which two people were shot and 31 arrested. The ongoing unrest is a response to a police officer killing Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
