Ferguson protest: 7 arrested, 1 shot at

, Aug 17: Police fired smoke and tear gas containers early on Sunday to disperse dozens of protesters who defied curfew in a St Loius suburb where a black teenager named Michael Brown was killed in police firing on August 9.

Seven people were arrested while one person was shot at the protest site in Ferguson, the Missourie Highway Patrol said. The shot person was in a critical condition was being treated in a hospital, said sources in the patrol.

Hundreds of protesters had reportedly left peacefully after the five-hour curfew was imposed but the remaining ones refused to move. Subsequently, armoured vehicles moved closer to the defiant protesters and the authorities kept on warning them about arrests if they did not withdraw.

The Missouri governor declared the emergency to prevent the violence and loot

The protesters still refused to move, forcing the police to fire the tear gas cannisters at them. Many began to scream in pain as the cannisters caused burning sensation in their eyes.

The curfew was imposed by the Governor of Missourie, Jay Nixon, on Saturday to stop the violence and looting that followed the protests over Brown's death. He also declared a state of emergency.

Oneindia News