On That Remarkable Moment Last Night in Ferguson Between Cpt. Johnson and Masked Protester

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Last edited Sun Aug 17, 2014, 02:17 PM - Edit history (1)

from Ryan J. Reilly and Braden Goyette at HuffPo:


____ Earlier on, there seemed to be some signs that police and community members were developing a rapport. A masked protester confronted Johnson during a press conference in front of the Ferguson Mart and Liquor, the convenience store where Michael Brown was accused of stealing cigarettes. The protester yelled at Johnson demanding action, and Johnson engaged him in a conversation as he was starting to walk away.




Amazing moment now between Ron Johnson and a masked protestor." #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/6IGKZrZ1fR
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 17, 2014


"I need answers sir, like for real. I salute you, but ... why did that man get gunned down in cold blood?" the protester asked.

"There's people that are white, Hispanic and Asian, there's a lot of people out here protesting and we're asking for change. It's not just us, it's everybody," Johnson replied.

"We're going to get some answers, I promise you. I promise you," Johnson emphasized. The protester took off his mask in the course of the exchange and identified himself as Jason Ross . . .





watch exchange:

Joy Reid @JoyAnnReid · Aug 16
Are Ferguson police deliberately undermining Capt. Ron Johnson's command? HT @Marmel - http://crooksandliars.com/2014/08/tension-flares-ferguson-after-police … pic.twitter.com/NtRf41Jaqy”

[Little Star]

1. God bless Cpt. Ron Johnson....

Without this one man things would be much worse than it is.

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2. I agree, Little Star

. . . throughout most of his actions and remarks, including his amazing level of outreach and direct communication and dialogue with demonstrators and others, he has been steadfast, accessible, informative, caring, and often uplifting.

I do have some some stark disagreements with some of his statements, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that he's brought much, much good into a tragic and volatile situation in Ferguson.

[Little Star]

3. I'm a 67 year old white grandmother and he is the kind of person I would want...

policing in my town & my grandchildren. He's just a smart, likable, fair minded individual.

Things in Ferguson would be much worse than it is without him. The Archie Bunker Chief adds fuel to the fire every time he opens his mouth. He needs to shut up & go away.

[JDPriestly]

6. What statements do you disagree with? I haven't followed this as closely as you may have.

I am asking a real question, not a snark.
Are there, perhaps facts about the situation that some of us may not know. Thanks for you answer.

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12. his description or justification of why the demonstrators were attacked by police last night

. . .gassed, sonic/blasted, and the rest.

I've heard three attributed to him (like all statements reported, they are subject to interpretation and verification). . .

One was that they were pursuing the person who fired the gunshot(s) and needed the demonstrators to move. I find that ridiculous. Tear gas and smoke grenades scattered demonstrators and no shooter was caught, as of this writing. The gunshot at(?) a police vehicle he described doesn't appear to have been proven to have come from this group. And, it was demonstrators who actually transported the victim of the other gunshot to the hospital.

Two, that they had reports of snipers on a roof somewhere who were going to shoot at them if they tried to move the demonstrators. I find that unbelievable. As I stated in an earlier thread, Johnson talks of responding to a disturbance, which looks to be mostly unrelated to the group, and the police who moved en masse toward the demonstrators didn't go anywhere else - the bulk of them went nowhere else except right at these demonstrators who were gathered in the middle of a street, not at the building he described.

Three, Cpt. Johnson tried to justify the use of smoke bombs (and tear gas, which someone on the force first denied was used) by asserting that the crowd wouldn't disperse . . . so what? That's no reason to gas and smoke bomb demonstrators. It's the exact thing he said earlier wouldn't be resorted to.

I hope that helps. It's just my own view, of course, and it's my sincere hope that those questions of mine about his supposed remarks don't take away or diminish your view or others' of the great good that I believe he's done so far.



Joy Reid @JoyAnnReid · Aug 16
Are Ferguson police deliberately undermining Capt. Ron Johnson's command? HT @Marmel - http://crooksandliars.com/2014/08/tension-flares-ferguson-after-police … pic.twitter.com/NtRf41Jaqy”

[JDPriestly]

18. Thanks.

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20. you're very welcome, JD

. . . thanks for asking.

[JDPriestly]

5. Captain Johnson is a courageous and honest man from what I can tell.

Maybe he should run for governor of Missouri?

[Enthusiast]

9. I agree!

[TheKentuckian]

14. It would seem so. He is doing as best that can be managed to de - escalate the situation but

I think it is possible that people forget he is a cop a little bit in the heat of this, his first priority is to protect the system until proven otherwise and even with best intent beyond any expectations, this man ain't driving the bus here.

His job is to bring down the temperature and he is good at it but I encourage caution in much expectation even of intent beyond pacification.

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4. update: full vid in op

[azureblue]

7. What he did-

Police training is based upon stereotyping and de- humanizing. "The perp". "The attacker". This serves to turn a person into an object, and,while this is the best thing to do when dealing with dangerous criminals, the backlash is that it obstructs a cop's humanity and seeing a person as human. And, as well see all to well, a group of people becomes a mob which becomes a "potentially" violent entity, which creates brutality and overreaction by the cops who stereotypes, and the mob responds in like manner. But in situations like this where there is no threat of violence, just an upset person who has been taught through bitter lesson to treat a cop as a thing, Jackson did a very wise thing and made the situation for what it is - two people talking about the same thing. Not one stereotype talking to another stereotype. And this is how it should be.

[geomon666]

8. Amazingly powerful moment

Hopefully it leads to the change all of us so desperately want.

[sadoldgirl]

10. Yes,Capt Johnson is by far the best

public answer to the Ferguson crisis. IMO he would not have insisted on a curfew, but had to abide by the orders given by the out of touch governor.

[Little Star]

13. .

[Enthusiast]

11. Kicked and recommended!

[blm]

15. Who made the deals with some gangs to activate the violence and looting -

"Don't worry, wear a mask, you won't be arrested - just make sure the cameras catch you, though."

BushInc infiltrated VVAW - never forget that. The owls aren't always what they seem.

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16. that's not the only speculation out here today

Haiku @Haiku_RS · 15h
Rumors of deadly force have turned some of us home. #Ferguson http://instagram.com/p/ryXgL-IXmC/

Tef Poe/FootKlan@TefPoe has even more pernicious rumors and wild speculation which, while interesting to read, and may or may not be true, doesn't rise to the level of verification or corroboration that I think some issues require right now in such a volatile and impressionable atmosphere where mostly youth are involved. . .

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17. at church rally this hour

Yamiche Alcindor @Yamiche · 8m
Johnson says his "black son" wears pants sagging, sideways hat, and has tattoos. "But that's my baby."



Yamiche Alcindor @Yamiche · 9m
Capt. Ron Johnson: "I am you. I will protect you, I will protect your right to protest."

[NYC_SKP]

19. K/R. nt

[KeepItReal]

21. That's what a real law enforcement officer acts like

Treated the protester as a citizen, not a threat.