A State of Emergency has been issued in Ferguson, MO as protesters gathered to demonstrate the death of Michael Brown just days before the anniversary. Protesters have been marching across the city the past few nights armed with signs, chants, and prayers, as they call for the U.S. Department of Justice to take action before the one year statute of limitations runs its course.

More than 100 arrests have been made with police detaining activist leaders, journalists, and even Cornel West, who was previously arrested outside the Ferguson police department last October. One well-known activist, Johnetta Elzie, known as Netta to most, took to her Twitter account before her arrest to say the following,

If I’m arrested today please know I’m not suicidal. I have plenty to live for. I did not resist, I’m just black.

The journalists who were arrested include: Wesley Lowery (The Washington Post) and Ryan Reilly (The Huffington Post). The Ferguson Police Department attributed their arrests to trespassing in a McDonald’s parking lot and interfering with a police officer. Both journalists were released by the next morning and returned to the protest lines to cover the events.

 

Update Regarding Monday’s Shooting:

Things escalated quickly Sunday evening after looters disrupted the peaceful protest that had started earlier in the day. A reporter from the St. Louis Post was assaulted; hit in the face, had his phone and wallet stolen, and then was struck in the head after he was on the ground. He has since shared that he is doing well and recovering from the injuries.

However, the 18-year old gunman, Tyrone Harris, who reportedly fired numerous bullets at police officers before being shot in the chest, is in critical condition. Prosecutors quickly charged the teen with “four counts of first-degree assault on law enforcement, five counts of armed criminal action and one count of discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle.”

His aunt claims that Harris was friends with Michael Brown and peacefully attended the protest like many others. She claims that Harris did not have a gun on his person and was actually running for fear of his life after the shots began.

photos/Twitter-DeRay Mckesson