Ferguson Police Department Evacuated, Shots Fired: Police

Ferguson, MO — The Ferguson Police Department has been evacuated of non-essential personnel, according to a tweet from St. Louis County police. Demonstrations turned violent overnight following a day of largely non-violent protests across St. Louis in response to the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer May 25.

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Police said shortly after 1 a.m. that protesters were continuing to throw rocks and fireworks at officers. Images posted to Twitter showed the front doors of the police department smashed and its windows broken.

The mayor of Ferguson announced a midnight curfew shortly before it was set to take effect Saturday night.

Protesters reported the sound of gunfire from near the police station shortly after midnight, and police confirmed that shots had been fired. It wasn't clear by whom.

Meanwhile, police set up skirmish lines and fired tear gas into crowds of protesters and journalists. Police said the crowds had dispersed by around 2 a.m., while officers continued to patrol the area.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency earlier Saturday night and said the Missouri National Guard and Missouri Highway Patrol "stand ready to support local authorities."

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of George Floyd," Parson said. "We are also saddened by the acts of violence that have transpired across our nation and state in response to this event. At this time, we are taking a proactive approach to protect Missouri and its people."

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The unrest in Ferguson is one of dozens of sometimes violent protests taking place in cities across the country in response to police brutality against Floyd and others.

"This ain't no riot; this is a war," one Ferguson protester told the Washington Post, echoing something a duke told the King of France just after the storming of the Bastille: "Sire, this is not a riot, it is a revolution."