The Organization for Black struggle responds to mass arrests and county state of emergency
The Organization for Black Struggle released the following statement in response to the arrest of several prominent Ferguson activists Monday, August 10, and St. Louis County Commissioner Steve Stenger declaring a state of emergency:
“In the long-standing tradition of Civil Rights’ activism, several prominent Ferguson leaders engaged in a Moral Monday sit-in in front of the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse and were promptly arrested by members of the St. Louis City Police Department. Soon after the arrests took place, St. Louis County Commissioner Steve Stenger declared a state of emergency for St. Louis County citing “last night’s violence and unrest in the city of Ferguson and the potential for harm to persons and property.”
“It’s like the police have learned nothing. The state of emergency is the result of county government’s unwillingness to control the police and authorities, who used excessive force on a crowd that was retreating as instructed,” said Montague Simmons, Executive Director of the Organization for Black Struggle. “Once again, police disregarded the rules of engagement. Stenger has shown no interest in engaging in dialogue or changes. This a time for real leadership, and unfortunately, Stenger has taken the lead of Governor Nixon.”
“The Organization for Black Struggle supports the pursuit of justice through nonviolent civil disobedience as displayed by Moral Monday sit-in participants today. Based on St. Louis County Commissioner Stenger’s stated criteria for declaring a state of emergency, the St. Louis metro area should always be under a state of emergency because of the constant potential for harm to Black people and relentless attempts to silence those who work toward justice.”
