Ferguson Police Deny Calling Michael Brown Memorial ‘A Pile Of Trash’
A Ferguson police spokesman says that the department does not plan to investigate the destruction of the Michael Brown memorial, which was allegedly run over by a car on Christmas night, but also claims that he was misquoted as saying that the memorial was “a pile of trash.”
Tim Zoll, public information officer for the Ferguson police department, told KMOX News in St. Louis that the damage to the Brown memorial in the middle of Canfield Drive would not be investigated, partially because nobody has filed a claim.
“It’s our understanding that an alleged vehicle, we’re assuming, drove over the memorial and kept going,” Zoll said. “We have no other information other than that. Nobody has come forward to make a report; therefore, we’re not investigating it.”
Zoll added that because the memorial was in the street, he was not sure if it was even considered a crime to run over it. He told the Washington Post on Friday that police would like to see the video a Twitter user claimed was taken of the incident, but did not specify whether the department would investigate.
Just got to #MikeBrown memorial and it’s been ran over. Someone who saw it on video said it was intentional. pic.twitter.com/UlR2TGSxCS
— Justin (@jay_myles2) December 26, 2014
Brown’s supporters were outraged on Friday after the Washington Post report, which quoted Zoll as saying, “I don’t know that a crime has occurred. But a pile of trash in the middle of the street? The Washington Post is making a call over this?”
.@ReverendStarsky of the #Ferguson Commission has spoken to the City Manager re: the “pile of trash” comment. pic.twitter.com/ULDeLS8Ky8
— deray mckesson (@deray) December 26, 2014
Zoll says he was misquoted by the newspaper, and that what he actually told them was “if it was somebody from outside the area, they might not have even know what it was,” and that a driver may have mistaken the memorial for trash.
The memorial, which marks the spot where Brown lay after being shot, was quickly rebuilt overnight when supporters took to social media to ask for help in restoring it.
Rebuilt. #Ferguson #MikeBrown http://t.co/JLpeREWgnb pic.twitter.com/hFx7fQOInC
— ShordeeDooWhop (@Nettaaaaaaaa) December 26, 2014
The rebuilt #MichaelBrown memorial on Canfield. @michaelcalhoun first reported car destroying it this am. pic.twitter.com/us85BXlFUy
— Brett A. Blume (@brettblumekmox) December 26, 2014
Although the violent protests over Michael Brown’s shooting and the decision not to prosecute the Ferguson police officer who shot him have eased in the St. Louis area, the Inquisitr reports that protesters shut down a Missouri highway on Tuesday after the shooting death of Antonio Martin.
[Image via Newsweek]
