To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

×
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Climate
  • Economy
  • Rights & Justice
  • War & Peace
  • Breaking News
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Newswire
  • Further
  • Planned Parenthood Action Fund
  • Trade Justice Education Fund
  • Profile Organization Test
  • ProsperUS
  • Repairers of the Breach
  • Fix Our Senate
  • ACLU Florida
  • Alliance for Retired Americans
  • Concerted Action
  • Green New Deal Network
  • Costs of War
  • Fossil Free Media
  • Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights
  • Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  • Cascadia Wildlands
  • Congressman Jamaal Bowman
  • Environmental Defense
  • National Coalition for the Homeless
  • Riverkeeper
  • U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines
  • Free Gaza Movement
  • Friends of the Earth Europe
  • Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
  • Basel Action Network
  • Healthy California Now
  • Groundwork Collaborative
  • One Fair Wage
  • Progressive International
  • Data for Progress
  • Congressman Ro Khanna
  • Fight Corporate Monopolies
  • Mijente
  • Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal
  • Oxfam America
  • Repair Our Democracy
  • Farm Action
  • Accountable.Senate
  • The Sentencing Project
  • Hunger Free America
  • Fridays for Future
  • Family Farm Action
  • National Family Farm Coalition
  • Protect the Results
  • AFSCME
  • Color Of Change PAC
  • MPower Change
  • Western Watersheds Project
  • WildEarth Guardians
  • The Elders
  • Gwich'in Steering Committee
  • Stop the Money Pipeline
  • United Nations Human Rights - Special Procedures
  • Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)
  • Communications Workers of America
  • The Endangered Species Coalition
  • Center for Climate Integrity
  • Climate Power
  • NORML
  • Lower Drug Prices Now
  • National Education Association (NEA)
  • Democracy Initiative
  • Small Business for Paid Leave
  • Campaign Legal Center
  • Muslim Advocates
  • Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
  • Accountable.US
  • Climate Mobilization
  • GLAD
  • Out & Equal
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
  • The Sunrise Project
  • American Economic Liberties Project
  • Bend the Arc
  • Poor People's Campaign
  • Jewish Voice for Peace Action
  • The Revolving Door Project
  • Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
  • TIME'S UP Now
  • Oil Change U.S.
  • Vote Climate U.S. PAC
  • Community Change Action
  • Democracy 21
  • Environmental Justice Foundation
  • Center for Popular Democracy Action
  • Climate Justice Alliance
  • Free Press Action
  • International Rivers
  • JVP Action
  • Open Markets Institute
  • Center for Popular Democracy
  • Stand Up America
  • Demand Justice
  • Stand.earth
  • By the People
  • The Sanders Institute
  • Tax March
  • Friends of the Earth Scotland
  • Justice Democrats
  • Sunrise Movement
  • Western Values Project
  • Good Jobs First
  • Climate Works for All
  • Democratic Socialists of America
  • Freedom From Facebook & Google
  • National Center for Transgender Equality
  • As You Sow
  • Rootstrikers
  • Every Voice
  • Direct Action Everywhere
  • Earthworks
  • Global Witness
  • National Abortion Federation
  • Representative Keith Ellison
  • Transgender Law Center (TLC)
  • Sea Shepherd
  • American Promise
  • Americans For Tax Fairness Action Fund
  • Biofuelwatch
  • Grassroots International
  • Climate Justice Programme
  • End Rape On Campus (EROC)
  • Stop the Wall
  • Organization for Competitive Markets
  • Balestra Media
  • Pacifica Foundation
  • The LGBT Network
  • Compassion in World Farming
  • UNHCR
  • Community Alliance for Global Justice
  • Elders Rising
  • Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America
  • The Right Livelihood Award
  • Women's Earth & Climate Action Network (WECAN)
  • The International Rescue Committee
  • Women Cross DMZ
  • Acadia Center
  • American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC)
  • The New York Immigration Coalition
  • GAIA
  • The Culinary Union
  • The American Immigration Council
  • Citizens Against Monopoly
  • Our Revolution
  • United We Dream
  • National Women's Law Center
  • SumofUs
  • Global Zero
  • The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
  • NAACP Legal Defense Fund
  • Network Lobby
  • NIAC Action
  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice
  • Freedom of the Press Foundation
  • Progressive Congress Action Fund
  • The Main Street Alliance
  • Millions Marching For Medicare For All
  • The World Health Organization
  • Senator Elizabeth Warren
  • Rep. Barbara Lee
  • John Conyers, Jr., Congressman
  • The Commonwealth Fund
  • Social Security Works
  • Mercy for Animals
  • American Federation of Teachers
  • Climate Disobedience Center
  • Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
  • Open Media
  • Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  • Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
  • Bold Alliance
  • The Greenlining Institute
  • Physicians for Reproductive Health
  • Americans for Tax Fairness
  • Climate Action Tracker
  • American Federation of Government Employees
  • Patriotic Millionaires
  • Congresswoman Barbara Lee
  • Progressive Change Campaign Committee
  • Indivisible
  • Friends of the Earth Action
  • Stop the War Coalition
  • Earthrights International
  • Free Speech for People
  • National Employment Law Project
  • Navdanya International
  • Open Debate Coalition
  • Shut It Down - Climate Direct Action
  • SOA Watch
  • Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
  • Green Party of the US
  • Live Share Grow
  • Advancement Project
  • Chicago Teachers Union
  • Indigenous Environmental Network
  • Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition
  • Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
  • The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
  • Stop Mass Incarceration Network - Chicago
  • International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
  • Progress Michigan
  • 350 Action
  • Climate Action Network International
  • Climate Tracker
  • Regeneration International
  • Ecojustice
  • Together for Global Justice (CIDSE)
  • Carbon Underground
  • Fight for $15
  • sHELLNO
  • Pembina Institute
  • Global Justice Now
  • Grassroots Leadership
  • La Via Campesina
  • New York Civil Liberties Union
  • Privacy International
  • National Iranian American Council (NIAC)
  • Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
  • U.S. Right to Know
  • Share the World's Resources
  • National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
  • Don't Shoot Coalition
  • Fight for the Future
  • Environmental Action
  • Oceana
  • UltraViolet
  • Huu-ay-aht First Nations
  • Latino Advocacy
  • Western Environmental Law Center
  • Rolling Jubilee
  • Coalition for Peace Action
  • Rodale Institute
  • Food Research and Action Center
  • Reject and Protect
  • The Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars
  • Center for Reproductive Rights
  • People's Action
  • Iraq Veterans Against the War
  • Jewish Voice for Peace
  • US Robin Hood Tax Campaign
  • Chesapeake Climate Action Network
  • Council of Canadians
  • Haiti: Make Births Safe
  • Center for Corporate Policy
  • Our Children's Trust
  • The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund
  • Friends of the Earth International

    An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder

    Dear Common Dreams reader,

    I’ve never been more alarmed about the state of our democracy. The U.S. is sliding toward authoritarianism faster than ever, while corporate media turns a blind eye. That’s why Common Dreams exists—to cover the news that others won’t. Every day, our independent team works to fulfill our mission: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.

    But here’s the truth: we can only do this with your support. We refuse corporate ads and keep our site free for everyone because access to critical news should never depend on ability to pay. That means our survival depends on readers like you. Please donate today and help us reach our goal of raising $100,000 by September 1.

    Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most.

    - Craig Brown, Co-founder

    An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder

    I’ve never been more alarmed about the state of our democracy. The U.S. is sliding toward authoritarianism faster than ever, while corporate media turns a blind eye. That’s why Common Dreams exists—to cover the news that others won’t. Every day, our independent team works to fulfill our mission: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.

    But here’s the truth: we can only do this with your support. We refuse corporate ads and keep our site free for everyone because access to critical news should never depend on ability to pay. That means our survival depends on readers like you. Please donate today and help us reach our goal of raising $100,000 by September 1.

    Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most.

    - Craig Brown, Co-founder

    Common Dreams. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
    Common Dreams Globe
    LATEST NEWSOPINIONCLIMATEECONOMY POLITICS RIGHTS & JUSTICEWAR & PEACE
    LATEST NEWS
    OPINION
    Common DreamsTo inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.

    chief tom jackson

    Chief Tom Jackson marching briefly with protesters

    More Ferguson Protesters Arrested as Police Chief Offers 'Unacceptable' Apology

    Jackson's apology video "did more harm than good," protesters stated in an open letter to officials

    Nadia Prupis
    Sep 26, 2014

    Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson on Thursday issued a video apology to the family of Michael Brown, the unarmed teenager who was killed by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9, while continuing to ignore residents' repeated calls for his resignation.

    Jackson also walked briefly on Thursday night with protesters who have been marching against police brutality--and demanding Wilson's arrest--for more than six weeks. Despite his presence at the demonstration, however, several protesters were arrested in the early hours of Friday morning. Video footage of the march shows officers violently placing at least one woman in custody who had been marching side by side with Jackson before he was led away by a police escort.

    \u201cBest video of last night} "@AnonOpsPro: Full video of Chief Jackson. This tells it all... https://t.co/41uNhQpBah thank you for this footage\u201d
    — Patricia Bynes (@Patricia Bynes) 1411734643

    Ferguson organizers, including a lawyer and a civil rights leader who had participated in the march, on Friday published an open letter reflecting on the recent events.

    "The video did more harm than good," the letter stated. "The apology was 48 days too late, should have occurred in person, and should have been authentic and heartfelt. A 6 week old scripted video is unacceptable and disrespects the depth of pain in this community."

    Police officers on Thursday night "kicked, grabbed, shoved, and hit peaceful protestors with their hands and batons," the letter continues. "Seven peaceful, lawful protestors were arrested," at least one of whom was denied medical treatment.

    In his video, Jackson apologized to the Brown family for allowing their son's body to be left in the street for four hours--by claiming that it was a necessary investigation procedure.

    "No one who has not experienced the loss of a child can understand what you're feeling," Jackson said. "I am truly sorry for the loss of your son. I'm also sorry that it took so long to remove Michael from the street. The time that it took involved very important work on the part of investigators who were trying to collect evidence and gain a true picture of what happened that day."

    The video was produced by the Devin James Group, a public relations firm recently hired by the city of Ferguson. However, the group recently ran into its own troubling publicity, when it was revealed this week that its founder, Devin James, had served time in prison for reckless homicide after he was convicted of killing an unarmed man. James was fired by the city after the information became public, but protesters noted that officials were aware of his background before bringing him on board--and that their decision to fire him immediately demonstrated a continued "lack of integrity" on the part of city leaders.

    "[T]he City of Ferguson knew about this previous conviction but hired him in an attempt to 'give Mr. James a second chance'," the open letter stated. "In a world where African American men are systematically placed into the criminal justice system and then denied employment based on past charges, we actually applaud the thought of city 's original intent in hiring Mr. James... firing Mr. James once the news of his previous conviction came to public attention, despite knowing of this record before hiring him, is yet another example of the lack of integrity and sense of honor in City leadership."

    "We can only suspect that the City of Ferguson planned to hide this information from the public--another cover-up and an intentional pattern of secrecy displayed by City leadership," they wrote.

    Jackson's apology follows Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson's recent claim that protesters had injured police officers during a protest after a memorial to Michael Brown was burned down Tuesday. "This behavior will not be tolerated," Johnson told reporters at a press conference at the time. "If that means that officers will respond in riot gear, they will." The warning was a stark contrast from Johnson and the highway patrol's initial entry into the protests after the St. Louis County police force responded to peaceful actions in the early days of the protests with tanks and assault weapons, when the captain briefly became a symbol of calm and cooperation. He emphasized that police safety would take priority and said the burning of Brown's memorial was under investigation, but that he believed police were not responsible for the fire.

    Jackson also told CNN that he had no plans to step down from his position, despite protesters calling for his resignation. He also said nothing about arresting Wilson, who has been on administrative leave since the shooting.

    While protesters' demands have grown in scope since they began, Wilson's arrest has been their constant priority.

    Jackson's apology video, released in full by the Associated Press, can be viewed below:

    Ferguson Police Chief Apologizes to Brown FamilySubscribe for more Breaking News: https://smarturl.it/AssociatedPress Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson has issued a video ...

    Keep ReadingShow Less
    News
    michael brown

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

    Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

    subscribe
    below
    * indicates required
    True
    True
    Follow Us
    Most Popular

    Masked Border Protection Agents Open Fire on Family's Truck After Smashing Its Windows

    Trump Vow to 'Get Rid of Mail-In Ballots' for 2026 Blasted as 'Unconstitutional'

    Mamdani Pounces as Leaked Audio Shows Cuomo 'Expecting Trump's Help' to Win

    Trump—With Media's Help—Is Creating American Conditions for 'Good Germans'

    Mass Layoffs at John Deere Follow Depressed Sales Caused by Trump Tariffs

    Blue No Matter Who?: Jeffries Slammed for 'Gutless' Refusal to Endorse Zohran Mamdani

    'Essentially Kidnapping': Texas Democrat Barred From Leaving Capitol Building Without Escort

    Marco Rubio Repeatedly Put on the Spot for Trump's Failure to Secure Ukraine Cease-Fire Deal

    'The Oligarchy Is the Enemy': Maine Oyster Farmer Launches Senate Bid to Oust Susan Collins

    Residents Revolt as 'Free DC' Protests Target Trump's National Guard Deployment

    We cover the issues the corporate media never will.
    Please support our journalism.