Dispatches from Ferguson
by Li Onesto | September 8, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
On-the-ground coverage of protests in the streets and interviews with people from Ferguson and around the country.
From the Streets of Ferguson/St. Louis: Thousands Answer the Call – “Come to Ferguson”
October 11, 2014. Over the last 24 hours hundreds and hundreds of people have come into St. Louis –by car, bus, and plane. From the East Coast, the West Coast and cities and towns all in between. They have come to stand with thousands more in Ferguson and the whole St. Louis area who have been OUTRAGED at the total INJUSTICE of the murder of Michael Brown and the fact that now, after two months, the killer cop, Darren Wilson is still walking free. Read more
From the Streets of Ferguson/St. Louis: There's a Feeling Out Here...
October 10, 2014. It's not hype. There's a feeling out here. People are flexing their muscles. The situation and people are going through changes. And tonight the youth were the heart of things. Read more
Voices from Ferguson: "I'm here to represent Dakota Bright"
Ferguson, August 23, 2014. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Posted September 1. A call went out for people from around the country to come to Ferguson for the weekend of August 23-24 to stand with the people who had been taking to the streets for two weeks to demand justice for Michael Brown, who were refusing to back down in the face of police dogs, tear gas, rubber bullets, and arrests. Michelle Edwards, whose nephew Dakota Bright was murdered by the Chicago police in 2012, was one of the people who responded to this call, and I got a chance to talk to her about why she came to Ferguson. Read more
Voices from Ferguson: Talking with "the Regulars" on W. Florissant
Posted September 1. I was out on West Florissant almost every night while I was in Ferguson, talking to people, and got to recognize a lot of the "regulars" who came to protest every evening. They got to recognize me as well and some would come up to greet me. What really came through was their determination to keep fighting to get justice for Mike Brown. Read more
Ferguson, Missouri, August 18, 2014. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Voices from Ferguson: "It needs to be more done"; "It's a beautiful thing that people are showing solidarity"; "Indict, Convict, Send the Killer Cop to Jail"
Posted September 1. On Wednesday, August 20, there was a demonstration at the county courthouse where the Grand Jury is convening in the case of the killing of Michael Brown. After the protest I talked to a young Black man from Ferguson, two women from St. Louis, and a woman who really liked one of the changes at the protest. Read more
Voices from Ferguson: “I wouldn’t give a fuck about your god damn justice system;” Running on Adrenaline
August 20. On Wednesday night, August 20, I talked to some of the people who were marching up and down the street and standing along the sidewalks as the police periodically threatened people with their orders to "move or be arrested." These are two of the people I talked to.
August 16. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Voices from the Streets of Ferguson: “My Big Eye-opener was Kent State;” “Being out here.... I had chills several times.”
August 16. Saturday, August 16 was the first night of the "State of Emergency" and the midnight to 5am curfew. These are two interviews I did earlier that night at the Quick Trip (the convenience store that was burned down after Michael Brown was killed). Read more
Carl Dix, Joey Johnson with bullhorn and Travis Morales with Indict the Killer Cop sign. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Li Onesto interviews Joey Johnson right after his release from jail after being arrested on Monday night, August 18, in Ferguson
On August 18, the Missouri police singled out and arrested RCP members and supporters Carl Dix, Travis Morales, and Joey Johnson. I talked with Joey Johnson after he was released from jail, about the night he was arrested and his conversations with the other arrested protesters. Read more
Monday night, August 18: Talking with the Defiant Ones
People ask about the youth who have been in the streets. The defiant ones. I’ll share notes of an interview I did with a young Black man – and other people jumped in as well. I haven’t had time to organize these notes but let me share them raw. Read more
Monday Night, August 18: A “people’s press conference”
I ran into something of a “people’s press conference” tonight. Here’s the story.
Monday, August 18: Outlawing “Congregating”
Let me just start with this. The curfew has been lifted here in Ferguson. But now, in effect they have a 24-hour curfew on the people because they have essentially outlawed anyone “congregating in groups.” Read more
Voices from Ferguson: “Our System Completely Failed Us”; “I’ts Like a Modern Day Lynching”
August 18. From my earlier notes—I talked with a Black man about his experiences, and with a woman who has been in the streets. Read more
August 18. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Sunday, August 18: More tear gas + rubber bullets on 2nd night of curfew
As I send this dispatch from the streets of Ferguson at 11 p.m., people are being hit with rubber bullets. People are being hit with tear gas. Police are blocking the ends of the street to keep people from escaping, running their hippos—which is what people call the armored vehicles they use to attack people from—on the street. There are helicopters overhead. Here’s what happened tonight.
August 17. Photo: Li Onesto/revcom.us
Saturday, August 17: Defying the Curfew
It is 3 a.m., Sunday morning, August 17, 2014. I just made it back after covering an amazing, beautiful night on the streets with hundreds determined to get justice for Michael Brown—to demand that the killer cop who shot him down in cold blood be indicted, convicted and sent to jail. Read more
Saturday August 16: Curfew Declared
Saturday August 16: It’s raining pretty steady today in Ferguson but this has not dampened the anger and impatience of the people here who continue to come into the streets to demand justice for Michael Brown. There was a march from the site where Michael was killed by the police down Florissant Street where hundreds have been protesting for a week now—where people were attacked by the police with tear gas and rubber bullets. Read more
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