Ferguson Chief’s Attempt to March Ends Badly

FERGUSON, Mo. (CN) - Embattled Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson tried to march with Michael Brown protesters late Thursday night, but a scuffle broke out between protesters and police seconds later.

Several protestors were arrested, the Post-Dispatch reported.

The altercation came at the end of a day of what many protestors described as public-relations damage control by Jackson. The police chief had released a video that morning, apologizing to Michael Brown's parents for how the investigation was handled.

That night, dressed in street clothes, Jackson emerged from the Ferguson Police Department where the protestors were located and attempted to talk and answer questions from the crowd. According to St. Louis Alderman Antonio French's Twitter feed, Jackson's presence excited the crowd.

"If you're not resigning tonight, Chief Jackson, you just need to take your ass home," a protestor said.

Jackson agreed to walk with the protestors, but police dressed in riot gear moved in on the crowd seconds later and made the arrests.

KMOV-TV reported that police moved in after a protestor tried to fight Jackson. French and several protesters refuted that report on Twitter, however, postings videos that they claim support their story.

The videos show protest leaders attempting to protect Jackson and a commotion from behind. What caused the commotion, whether it was a protestor advancing on Jackson or police action, remains unclear.

French blamed Jackson for the violence.

"For the record: This is the second riot this police chief has incited," French tweeted. "He needs to resign."

It is the second time this week that violence has broken out during the Ferguson protests after weeks of relative calm. On Tuesday, five people were arrested after police said a Molotov cocktail was thrown at them. Some believe that escalation was caused after one of the memorials to Brown burned earlier that day. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man, was shot by white Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. Brown's death sparked ongoing protests seeking criminal charges against Brown and Jackson's resignation.

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