National
Ferguson Remains on Edge As 4-Day Protest Looms
Larry Miller holds up his hands after speaking during a public comments portion of a meeting of the Ferguson City Council Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY
FERGUSON, Mo. (USA Today) — Protesters in this small Midwest city measure time by counting the number of days Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson has remained free since killing Michael Brown.
Here, after 58 days, almost everyone is waiting for a grand jury to decide whether Wilson, who shot the unarmed black 18-year-old on Aug. 9, will face charges. Businesses have put off repairing looter damage and instead have covered shattered glass with wooden boards.
Demonstrators continue to call for an arrest of the white officer and say anything short of a murder charge will bring chaos. Meanwhile, city officials and police are prepared for the worst as they brace for four days of protest events this weekend.
Michael Brown Sr., one of his attorneys and community leaders held a news conference Sunday urging authorities to arrest Wilson.
“We are praying and waiting, crying and waiting, talking and waiting,” said Angela Whitman, 44, who started protesting shortly after the shooting. “If we do not get an indictment and there is no conviction, they are talking about burning our whole state down. They are talking about a whole state that they are going to take control of and just start burning stuff down. Why do we have to go through all that? This is simply about what’s right and what’s wrong.”
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