Armed 'Oath Keepers' arrive in Ferguson

1	An armed group of "Oath Keepers" joined the mix of protesters and police on city streets this week, and neither police nor protesters provided a warm welcome.
2	Armed 'Oath Keepers' arrive in Ferguson An armed group of "Oath Keepers" joined the mix of protesters and police on city streets this week, and neither police nor protesters provided a warm welcome.
3	Members of a militia group called the 'Oath Keepers' have been patrolling the streets of Ferguson, Missouri following the anniversary of Michael Brown's death.
4	FERGUSON, Mo.
5	Oath Keepers describes itself as a "non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police and first responders."
6	The Southern Poverty Law Center describes the group as "fiercely anti-government, militaristic."
7	As that development evolved, the St. Louis County, Mo., Police Department released video that the agency says is "pertinent" to the investigation of the shooting by an officer of Tyrone Harris on Sunday.
8	The video was shot from the offices of Solo Insurance Services in St. Louis, the agency said.
9	Several white men identifying themselves as members of the group carried automatic weapons as they walked amid the protesters early Tuesday.
10	Missouri allows people with permits for concealed weapons to carry them openly.
11	John, an Oath Keeper from Missouri who wouldn't provide his last name, said his group was at the protest to protect writers with the conservative website InfoWars.com.
12	He said journalists are sometimes robbed or beaten when trying to cover volatile events and that his group wanted to ensure InfoWars writers were free to document the protests.
13	John said he recognized it could be problematic if Ferguson residents and protesters openly carried weapons, but added that his group is highly trained.
14	He acknowledged that anyone with a firearm might be perceived with concern by police already on high alert because people have shot at and hurled bottles and other objects at officers.
15	St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar called the group's presence "unnecessary and inflammatory."
16	Some protesters - gathering here to mark one year since unarmed black teen Michael Brown was fatally shot by a white police officer - took issue with Oath Keepers joining the demonstration.
17	"You're going to bring some uncommissioned citizens, white citizens, into a black community like this? It's disrespectful," Talal Ahmad, 30, who is black, told Reuters news service.
18	"Here, in a black neighborhood, we're already living in a state of terror."
19	Patricia Bynes, Democratic committeewoman of Ferguson Township, told MSNBC the Oath Keepers' presence detracted from the issue of racial inequality.
20	"If there were black and brown people in this country who showed up in the streets openly carrying assault rifles in paramilitary garb, would they still be received the same way?"
21	Bynes asked.
22	"It seems to be that especially when it comes to the Second Amendment there seems to be a different way that it is enforced."
23	Oath Keepers was founded in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes, an Army veteran and former aide to ex-congressman Ron Paul.
24	Rhodes has been a critic of both major political parties, referring to Hillary Clinton as "Herr Hitlery" and calling Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a traitor to the Constitution.
25	Members of Ferguson.
26	Mo., clergy and leadership stand between angry protesters and cops to keep the peace and spread love.
27	Twenty-three people were arrested in Ferguson, Mo., late Monday night after police say some protesters started throwing rocks and frozen bottles of water at them.
28	St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger made the decision "in light of last night's violence and unrest in the city of Ferguson, and the potential for harm to persons and property."
29	A man is in critical condition after he was shot by police in Ferguson, Mo.
30	The man was allegedly involved in a shootout with two other groups before shooting at police.
31	St. Louis County police report that 23 people were arrested in Monday night's protests in Ferguson, Missouri.
32	Police say no shots were fired, and no smoke or tear gas were used.
33	However, pepper spray hit one AP reporter.
34	More than a dozen arrests were reported in Ferguson, Missouri on Monday night, the fourth night of protests marking the anniversary of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.
35	Demonstrators had blocked traffic on West Florissant Avenue.
36	A man was wounded after reportedly pulling his gun on police during protests marking the anniversary of Michael Brown's death.
37	St. Louis County Police say a man opened fire on officers in Ferguson, Missouri late Sunday night.
38	The officers returned fire, and the man was critically wounded.
39	St. Louis County Police say gunshots were fired at an officer in Ferguson, Mo., on the anniversary of Michael Brown's death.
40	About 50 protesters have been arrested after blocking the entrance to a St. Louis federal courthouse while calling for more aggressive U.S. government response to what they call racist law enforcement practices.
41	St. Louis County police critically wound a suspect who they say opened fire on officers in Ferguson, Missouri, on the anniversary of Michael Brown's death Sunday night.
42	A somber march and moment of silence was held in Ferguson, Missouri to mark the anniversary of the death of 18-year old MIchael Brown.
43	Crowds of peaceful people took to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri to mark the anniversary of Mike Brown's death.
44	The teen was shot and killed by a white police officer on August 9th, 2014.
45	Hundreds of people gathered in Ferguson, Missouri to mark the one year anniversary of Michael Brown's death.
46	A moment of silence was observed in his honor.
47	It's been nearly one year since Michael Brown Jr. was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo.
48	His father talks about the impact of his son's death and the ongoing changes in the St. Louis suburb.
49	A year after police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown, there are visible changes in Ferguson, Missouri_ new city officials, new storefronts and development plans.
50	But community activists worry the changes don't go deep enough.
51	On August 9, 2014 Ferguson cop Darren Wilson shot and killed Mike Brown, an unarmed teen.
52	Soon after, the small Missouri town was overcome by protests, violence and international attention.
53	Now, the city is preparing for the one-year anniversary.
54	Most Oath Keepers members, as part of their public service jobs, must swear to "defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic," the group's website notes.
55	The group stresses that members are sworn supporters of the Constitution, not politicians.
56	"Oath Keepers declare that they will not obey unconstitutional orders, such as orders to disarm the American people, to conduct warrantless searches, or to detain Americans as "enemy combatants" in violation of their ancient right to jury trial," Oath Keepers says on its website.