Five days after the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old fatally shot by a local police officer, President Obama joined state and national leaders in calling for changes to how police are dealing with protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, amid continued street clashes.
“I know that emotions are raw right now in Ferguson,” President Obama said at a news conference this afternoon. “There is never excuse for violence against the police or for those who would use this tragedy as a cover for vandalism or looting. There is also no excuse for police to use excessive force against peaceful protests or to throw protesters in jail for lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights.”
