On August 9th, 18-year-old African-American man, Michael Brown, was shot multiple times by a police officer while walking through the streets of his hometown, Ferguson, Missouri. He was unarmed.
In a town with a long history of conflict between the predominately African-American community and the largely caucasian police force, citizens responded with sorrow and anger, taking to the streets in protest. Reports of looting and vandalism emerged. Community leaders called for peace, and citizens of Ferguson turned to peaceful protest.
Unfortunately, Ferguson police continue to treat the protests as a threat, arresting reporters, firing tear gas on peaceful crowds, and setting a sundown curfew. We ask president Obama to intervene to protect the first amendment rights of protestors.