Missouri National Guard referred to Ferguson protesters as 'enemy forces'

CNN has obtained documents from the Missouri National Guard that reveal that the Guard referred to the protestors in Ferguson, Missouri as "adversaries" and even "enemy forces." This language choice occurred in the context of an already highly militarized police response to the protests, a law enforcement approach which drew widespread critique.

The files CNN acquired reveal that the Guard realized the potentially inflammatory nature of their language and deliberately changed all mentions of "enemy" to "criminal element" to improve public relations. This was part of a broader effort to "minimize public militarization perception," as Col. David Boyle of the Missouri National Guard wrote in a November email.

"It's disturbing when you have what amounts to American soldiers viewing American citizens somehow as the enemy," said Antonio French, a St. Louis alderman who vocally supported the Ferguson protests.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up