Last night the long awaited Grand Jury decision in the case of Michael Brown and Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson was released. According to the decision, there was no probable cause to file charges against Officer Wilson and therefore he is exonerated and will not face indictment.
As a result of the Grand Jury decision not to indict Wilson, rioters took to the streets last night burning down dozens of buildings, looting, throwing rocks and molotov cocktails at police, burning American flags, burning cars, and smashing windows. Small businesses were completely destroyed and burned to the ground.Twenty-nine people were arrested by police. The good news is nobody was killed.
"It's really unfortunate this evening because we had really planned...and talked about the fact that we were really hoping for peaceful protests and I mean that," St. Louis Police Department Chief Jon Belmar said during a press conference early this morning.
#Ferguson burns. pic.twitter.com/KvnRtJA94R
— Robert Cohen (@kodacohen) November 25, 2014“@joelcurrier: Police line/cars advancing down W. Florissant. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/dPxoE4u5Zq”
That's the building #HealSTL office was in.
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) November 25, 2014Thats right #Ferguson burn the flags of the country you all rely on....This is disgusting pic.twitter.com/1bKvN4MRbm
— Travis Wottring (@TheWOTTaBoy) November 25, 2014Live now on @ajam. #Ferguson Walgreens fully engulfed pic.twitter.com/V8pL3SzW8f
— Jonathan Betz (@jebetz) November 25, 2014Violent rioting also erupted in Chicago and Oakland. In Washington D.C. more peaceful protestors took to the streets.
Last week Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced a state of emergency ahead of the decision. The National Guard didn't arrive on the scene until early this morning when riots were over.