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Missouri police tear-gas protesters after Ferguson shooting Missouri police tear-gas protesters after Ferguson shooting
(about 4 hours later)
US police fired smoke bombs and tear gas at a crowd which defied an overnight curfew in Ferguson, where a black teenager was shot dead by police last week. US police have fired smoke bombs and tear gas to disperse a crowd defying a curfew in St Louis, Missouri, where a shooting has inflamed racial tensions.
About 150 protesters refused to disperse before a midnight (05:00 GMT) deadline in the St Louis suburb. Police say they broke up the crowd of about 150 in the suburb of Ferguson after being called to the scene of a disturbance after the curfew started.
Police defended their actions as a "proper response" after a police car was shot at. A police car reportedly came under fire and a person was hurt in an apparently unrelated shooting in the same area.
Captain Ron Johnson said a man was critical in hospital after a shooting. Black teenager Michael Brown was shot by a white policeman on 9 August.
Speaking just before 03:00 local time (08:00 GMT) he said that the police operation through the night was not in response to the curfew but to the violence that erupted near the Red The BBQ Man restaurant in Ferguson. The shooting of the 18-year-old as he walked down a street drew allegations of police brutality among people in the mainly black suburb of Ferguson.
Seven arrests have been made. The circumstances of the shooting are not clear, police said. A riot erupted on Friday night, with local stores targeted by looters, after police named the officer who shot Mr Brown and also released CCTV from a shop where he apparently stole a pack of cigars and intimidated the owner just before his death.
"We had a subject standing in the middle of the road with a handgun. We had a police car shot at tonight. And, yes, I think that was a proper response tonight, to maintain officer safety and public safety," Captain Johnson said. A five-hour curfew, running from midnight (05:00 GMT), was imposed in response.
The move comes after a week of violent clashes between heavily armed local police and protesters. US civil rights leader Al Sharpton has said a peaceful rally, led by Michael Brown's family, is planned for later on Sunday.
Michael Brown, 18, was shot dead on a street in Ferguson on 9 August. 'Ready to die'
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the main road in Ferguson in poor weather conditions hours before the curfew was due to go into force on Saturday evening. Seven arrests were made when police moved to break up the protest at a barbecue restaurant.
Many left peacefully but others shouted that they would not abide by the curfew. Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who was put in charge of bringing calm back to Ferguson, said police had moved in after receiving a report of people breaking into the restaurant and climbing on to the roof.
Police warned the remaining demonstrators that they would be arrested unless they left the area. As police were nearing the restaurant, a man with a handgun went into the street but ran away, AP news agency reports.
They then fired smoke bombs and tear gas, after which the protesters appeared to leave. Someone also shot at a police car but it was not clear if it had been hit.
"The curfew is going to make things worse," protester Phonso Scott, 24, told Reuters news agency. In the same area, a person was shot and critically wounded and police were searching for the attacker.
"I think the cops are going to get violent tonight, but they can't lock us all up." Demonstrators complained that the curfew would make matters worse.
'Find and maintain peace' As police prepared to move on the protesters during the night, a chant of "No justice! No curfew!" could be heard from the crowd, followed by "We have the right to assemble peacefully".
Governor Jay Nixon said that although many protesters were making themselves heard peacefully, he would not allow a handful of looters to endanger the community. Jayson Ross, who was leading the protesters toward the police before tear gas was fired, was quoted as saying by AP: "They got guns. We got guns. We are ready."
"We must first have and maintain peace. This is a test. The eyes of the world are watching," Mr Nixon said. "We cannot allow the ill will of the few to undermine the good will of the many." Local politician Antonio French, who was with the protesters, tweeted to say: "Too many young men talking about they're ready to die tonight."
He also said the US Department of Justice was bolstering its investigation of the shooting. 'The world is watching'
Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who is in charge of security in Ferguson, said 40 FBI agents were going door-to-door to gather information about the incident. Governor Jay Nixon said he would not allow a handful of looters to endanger the community.
Mr Johnson gave a joint news conference with Governor Nixon on Saturday afternoon at a church in Ferguson, where they were repeatedly interrupted by angry locals. "This is a test," he said. "The eyes of the world are watching. We cannot allow the ill will of the few to undermine the good will of the many."
The latest tensions flared on Friday night after Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson revealed the name of the officer who shot Mr Brown. The US justice department is investigating the shooting of Mr Brown, with 40 FBI agents dispatched to Ferguson to gather information.
Police also released CCTV footage that it said showed Mr Brown stealing a pack of cigars from a convenience store and intimidating its owner shortly before he was killed. Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson revealed on Friday that the officer who shot Mr Brown was Darren Wilson, a six-year police veteran with no previous complaints against him.
But Mr Jackson said the 18-year-old was not stopped because of the incident and that the officer who shot him did not know he was a robbery suspect. Mr Wilson has been on paid administrative leave since the shooting.
The BBC's Tom Esslemont in Washington says Mr Jackson's comments sparked bewilderment and anger in Ferguson. Commenting on the CCTV footage that was released, Chief Jackson said that Mr Wilson had not known Mr Brown was a robbery suspect.
Mr Brown's family said they were "beyond outraged" by the video's release, criticising what they said was a police attempt to "justify the execution-style murder". The policeman had reportedly stopped the teenager for walking in the street, disrupting traffic.
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton says a peaceful rally, led by Michael Brown's family, is planned for Sunday. Mr Brown's family condemned the release of the footage as a police attempt to "justify the execution-style murder".
Are you a resident of Ferguson? What do you think of the curfew? Email your views and experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ferguson curfew' in the subject heading and including your contact details.Are you a resident of Ferguson? What do you think of the curfew? Email your views and experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ferguson curfew' in the subject heading and including your contact details.
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