ST. LOUIS - An online fund-raising drive for the Ferguson, Mo., police officer who shot an unarmed African-American teenager to death on Aug. 9 surpassed $300,000 by Saturday afternoon, as dozens of people gathered at a St. Louis pub to rally on the lawman's behalf.
One fund-raising web page raised so much money in so few days that it was shut down and a second page was opened, with its donations being directed to a fund managed by the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge. Altogether, the two pages, both on the crowdfunding website gofundme, have raised more than $300,000 for the officer, Darren Wilson.
'The individual who started the fund didn't realize it would get so big,' said a woman who organized Saturday's rally. When pressed for her name, she said only, 'I am Darren Wilson,' a play on the popular mantra that followed the shooting death in Florida of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager.
The woman said donations poured in from around the nation from people of different races, most of whom were afraid to show their faces or publicly give their names. The site had to remove nasty comments being posted by people angry at Officer Wilson and by people criticizing the 18-year-old he shot, Michael Brown.
A related Facebook page for Officer Wilson had nearly 60,000 'likes.' The rally organizer said that the page was being monitored for vitriol.
'We are working around the clock to clear the hate,' she said.
In a statement she read aloud on Saturday, she said: 'Our mission is to formally declare that we share the united belief that Officer Wilson's actions on Aug. 9 were warranted and justified, and he has our unwavering support. We believe that the evidence has and will continue to validate our position.'
She also criticized the news media for offering what she called one-sided coverage that has 'intensified the destruction' of Ferguson and neighboring communities, alluding to the looting that came after the shooting. Participants in the rally wore T-shirts with a logo in the form of a police shield that said: 'Officer Darren Wilson I Stand With You.' They were marked '8.9.14' for the date of the shooting. One rally attendee paid $200 for the shirt, the organizer said.
Organizers of the rally said the proceeds would help relocate Officer Wilson's family and support him because he was unlikely to be able to work on the streets of Ferguson again. It would also help him if he is sued, she said.
Officer Wilson and Mr. Brown exchanged words when the police officer ordered Mr. Brown to walk on the sidewalk. They struggled through a car window, then Officer Wilson shot Mr. Brown at least six times. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and a St. Louis County grand jury are investigating whether the shooting was justified.
The officer's supporters who gathered at Barney's Sports Pub in St. Louis on Saturday said that they did so because the news media was biased against the officer.
'I am here to make sure justice is served,' said Greg Messmer, a police officer from a nearby community. 'Unfortunately because of the bias of the media, they've come to the conclusion that he is guilty before the evidence is presented.'
Julie Redden, who said she was a 'police mom,' donated $60 and handed out snacks.
'I don't want our city to give up on law enforcement,' Ms. Redden said. 'These men are good men. I think some people are giving up on trusting them.'
Another fund-raising drive on the same crowdfunding site, for Michael Brown's family, reached $200,000 on Saturday.
Posted by Unknown on Saturday, August 23, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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