Well before the curfew imposed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was supposed to be in effect, police officers occupying Ferguson Sunday night tear gassed an eight-year old, Chris Hayes, and threatened to mace the MSNBC reporter and other reporters as well.
Sunday was the second night of a curfew that included a massive occupation by various police forces in Ferguson, Missouri. More than an hour before the midnight local time curfew, imposed by Gov. Jay Nixon Saturday, police shot tear gas a peaceful protestors. One MSNBC reporter on air described how she had been shot by an unknown object, which an in-studio contributory presumed was a sting ball.Â
But it was MSNBC’s Chris Hayes’ reporting that revealed the level of law enforcement anger.
When reporting on-air, Hayes described how his eyes were filled with tear gas, and later, viewers could hear police threaten to mace the MSNBC reporter.
Riot cop to me just a few minutes ago: “Get back! Or next time you’re gonna be the one maced.”
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 18, 2014
Vox has a video of police yelling at a reporter, “Get the fuck out of here and get that light off, or you’re getting shot with this.”
The Huffington Post’s Ryan J. Reilly, who has been on the ground in the troubled small town for a week, posted this short video of an eight-year old tear gassed by the police.
8-year-old hit with tear gas #ferguson https://t.co/e1STjaPR26
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
From earlier, the eight-year-old hit with tear gas #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/DPiiyXuK4C
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
And this chilling image of remnants of police activity.
More of what was used against crowd of protestors in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/0mdKF8P3mJ
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
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While many on social media questioned by a mother would bring her small child to a peaceful protest, it’s not known if the woman and her child were part of the demonstration. The video by Reilly was opposed several hours before the curfew was to be in effect. Many were out in town before crew trying to buy food and other necessities, and the police lockdown caught the citizenry by surprise with no where to go.
Just wondering when #Ferguson left the United States. Because clearly the riot cops think the Constitution no longer applies there
— Harold Itzkowitz (@HaroldItz) August 18, 2014
“We said don’t shoot & they did…it’s a damn lie.†– woman calling in to CNN to anchor saying police shot in response to violence. #Ferguson
— Renee Bracey Sherman (@RBraceySherman) August 18, 2014
I was on the front line. They attacked peaceful protesters with tear gas and urban tanks. @CNN is lying! #Ferguson
— Rev. Osagyefo Sekou (@RevSekou) August 18, 2014
“@tanehisicoates: Police: “Media do not pass us, you’re getting maced the next time you pass us.” @chrislhayes on the scene.” #Ferguson
— Liv Spencer (@liv_witters) August 18, 2014