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| St. Louis area braces for aftershock of grand jury’s decision on Ferguson shooting | St. Louis area braces for aftershock of grand jury’s decision on Ferguson shooting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| FERGUSON, Mo. —A grand jury is continuing its deliberation on whether to indict Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, in August. | |
| When they jury will reconvene is unknown, but according to sources close to the process and who spoke on condition of anonymity, they may meet again Monday or possibly sooner. The process is secret, so sources could not speak on the record. | |
| Ed Magee, a spokesman for St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch, said his office is not confirming when the grand jury is meeting. | |
| Residents, authorities and institutions are bracing for whatever thunderclaps may come from any decision. | |
| Many people expect the grand jury will decline to indict Wilson based on evidence in the case that has emerged publicly. What no one can say for sure is what will happen next? Will the reaction surpass the violent conflict between police and demonstrators that immediately followed the shooting — or will the restraint of the weeks of nonviolent protests that followed prevail? | |
| Some, though not all, public schools that serve Ferguson reportedly plan to be closed Monday and Tuesday. Churches in the area will open their doors as “safe spaces” for people to take refuge and share emotions. Harris-Stowe State University — the region’s historically black college, where 40 percent of the students are from the Ferguson area — will have counselors on hand for students to seek psychological support, as well as art supplies as creative outlets for their grief or anger. | Some, though not all, public schools that serve Ferguson reportedly plan to be closed Monday and Tuesday. Churches in the area will open their doors as “safe spaces” for people to take refuge and share emotions. Harris-Stowe State University — the region’s historically black college, where 40 percent of the students are from the Ferguson area — will have counselors on hand for students to seek psychological support, as well as art supplies as creative outlets for their grief or anger. |
| “As a former Ferguson resident, we are bracing for an explosion, a war,” said Jazminique Holley, a student leader at Harris-Stowe, who personally advocates nonviolence. No indictment “sends a message that it’s okay to kill little black boys, to be honest.” | “As a former Ferguson resident, we are bracing for an explosion, a war,” said Jazminique Holley, a student leader at Harris-Stowe, who personally advocates nonviolence. No indictment “sends a message that it’s okay to kill little black boys, to be honest.” |
| When the decision comes, “I will be holding my son” — 4-year-old Seven — “tight for the rest of the night. But the first thing Monday morning, I’ll be out on the ground peacefully protesting,” Holley said. | When the decision comes, “I will be holding my son” — 4-year-old Seven — “tight for the rest of the night. But the first thing Monday morning, I’ll be out on the ground peacefully protesting,” Holley said. |
| Yet Marshida Harris, 22, a member of the Young Citizens Council of St. Louis, which has tried to use these months as a teachable moment to engage and educate young people in organizing for constructive change, had higher hopes: that any demonstrations may be powerful yet peaceful. | Yet Marshida Harris, 22, a member of the Young Citizens Council of St. Louis, which has tried to use these months as a teachable moment to engage and educate young people in organizing for constructive change, had higher hopes: that any demonstrations may be powerful yet peaceful. |
| “I honestly think it’s going to be a more organized, more peaceful protest,” Harris said. “It’s the police who feel like they need to suit up and boot up against people who are not suited up and booted up.” | “I honestly think it’s going to be a more organized, more peaceful protest,” Harris said. “It’s the police who feel like they need to suit up and boot up against people who are not suited up and booted up.” |
| On Monday, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a preemptive state of emergency and activated the National Guard — a move that was criticized as potentially escalating the situation. | On Monday, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a preemptive state of emergency and activated the National Guard — a move that was criticized as potentially escalating the situation. |
| Following intense negotiations in recent weeks on tactics, police and protesters announced this past week an agreement on a dozen “rules of engagement” for how any protests will be policed, including general principles to protect human life and avoid excessive force. However, as of midweek, there was no agreement on the use of tear gas and riot gear. | Following intense negotiations in recent weeks on tactics, police and protesters announced this past week an agreement on a dozen “rules of engagement” for how any protests will be policed, including general principles to protect human life and avoid excessive force. However, as of midweek, there was no agreement on the use of tear gas and riot gear. |
| Organizers of various factions of the sprawling protest movement have spent weeks training supporters in nonviolent yet creative direct action tactics. Lately there have been “die-ins” around the area, where demonstrators fall to the ground, their positions marked in chalk. | Organizers of various factions of the sprawling protest movement have spent weeks training supporters in nonviolent yet creative direct action tactics. Lately there have been “die-ins” around the area, where demonstrators fall to the ground, their positions marked in chalk. |
| Yet some young protesters seem hungry for something more confrontational. Friday night, as usual, a group of a few dozen gathered outside the Ferguson police headquarters, taunting police and occasionally blocking traffic. They seemed disorganized. Some wanted to march, others wanted to block cars and leer at the motorists through their bone-white Guy Fawkes masks. | Yet some young protesters seem hungry for something more confrontational. Friday night, as usual, a group of a few dozen gathered outside the Ferguson police headquarters, taunting police and occasionally blocking traffic. They seemed disorganized. Some wanted to march, others wanted to block cars and leer at the motorists through their bone-white Guy Fawkes masks. |
| They united in one rowdy chant: “Who shut it down? We shut it down!” | They united in one rowdy chant: “Who shut it down? We shut it down!” |
| Outside a peace rally Friday night at Harris-Stowe, someone not connected to the rally handed out leaflets calling for people to “pour into the streets,” block highways and take over campus buildings if Wilson is not indicted. | Outside a peace rally Friday night at Harris-Stowe, someone not connected to the rally handed out leaflets calling for people to “pour into the streets,” block highways and take over campus buildings if Wilson is not indicted. |
| Inside the university’s gym, students gathered for the “Peace Rally for Youth.” The crowd of less than 200 was far smaller than organizers had planned for. But they came from several area colleges and universities, and they responded with enthusiastic chants and claps as organizers spoke of pivoting the Brown protest movement to a longer-lasting instrument for forcing change in the way some communities are marginalized, and stopping cases of mistreatment by police. | Inside the university’s gym, students gathered for the “Peace Rally for Youth.” The crowd of less than 200 was far smaller than organizers had planned for. But they came from several area colleges and universities, and they responded with enthusiastic chants and claps as organizers spoke of pivoting the Brown protest movement to a longer-lasting instrument for forcing change in the way some communities are marginalized, and stopping cases of mistreatment by police. |
| “It goes beyond Michael Brown,” Harris, the Young Citizens Council member said in an interview after addressing the crowd. “Right now it’s in our territory. But what I realize is that Ferguson is a reflection of what’s going on across our country.” | “It goes beyond Michael Brown,” Harris, the Young Citizens Council member said in an interview after addressing the crowd. “Right now it’s in our territory. But what I realize is that Ferguson is a reflection of what’s going on across our country.” |
| Like Holley, worried about her son, Harris was thinking about her brother Lionel “Tre” Stokes III, who, at 16, was volunteering at the rally. After the decision, he wants permission to go watch the action outside the prosecutor’s office in the neighboring suburb of Clayton, which is the county seat and where the grand jury is convened. | Like Holley, worried about her son, Harris was thinking about her brother Lionel “Tre” Stokes III, who, at 16, was volunteering at the rally. After the decision, he wants permission to go watch the action outside the prosecutor’s office in the neighboring suburb of Clayton, which is the county seat and where the grand jury is convened. |
| “My role on Sunday [if there’s a decision] is to talk to my brother,” Harris said. “I want him to understand what everything means. It’s beautiful for us to rush out and be part of it. It’s also very important to educate our own.” | “My role on Sunday [if there’s a decision] is to talk to my brother,” Harris said. “I want him to understand what everything means. It’s beautiful for us to rush out and be part of it. It’s also very important to educate our own.” |
| Will she let him watch the protests? | Will she let him watch the protests? |
| “After explaining it,” Harris said, “I may let him go.” | “After explaining it,” Harris said, “I may let him go.” |
| Kimberly Kindy contributed to this report. |