Rubber Bullets, Tear Gas in Berkeley as Police Disperse Ferguson Rally
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Protests against police brutality turned violent in Berkeley, California, as officers are resorting to rubber bullets, flash bang grenades and tear gas in a tense standoff with demonstrators demanding justice.
The scene in this liberal college town remains chaotic Saturday night as reports of injured protesters at the hands of the police begin emerged. The protesters took to the streets to express their anger over a series of high-profile incidences involving the death of black Americans at the hands of white police officers - all of whom were cleared of any wrongdoing by the courts.
According to police, some of the protesters took to more violent methods of expression, RT reported.
"A small portion of protesters have been violent," Jennifer Coats, a spokeswoman for the Berkeley Police Department, told CNN.
"They started throwing rocks and other projectiles at our officers. Some officers have suffered minor injuries as a result."
Coats confirmed that one police officer suffered injuries as some of the protesters hurled objects at police positions.
Several masked protesters hurled projectiles at police in riot gear, while other protesters implored them not to use violence.
Police then moved on unmasked protesters at a busy intersection, commanding them to move away. When their orders went unheeded, the police tossed tear gas canisters into the crowd, with some of the protesters hurling the tear gas back at the police.
Coats said that about 200 people were participating in the fourth day of protests following a grand jury decision that acquitted a white New York City police officer of any wrongdoing in the death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old black Staten Island resident, on July 17.