The arrest of Jeffery Williams, 20, for the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, has set off a rush to distance the protesters from the would-be cop killer.
Was Williams a “regular” attendee of protests, a casual participant, or not involved at all? There is a lot riding on the answer to that question.
In spite of the riots after the grand jury found no evidence to indict officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, the protests have been portrayed as “largely peaceful.” If a member of those protests tried to assassinate two police officers on the day the chief of police of that embattled city resigned, it would harm that carefully cultivated image.
The “hands up, don’t shoot” protests successfully avoided association with Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who made statements on social media in solidarity with them before assassinating two New York City police officers in December. A second protester shooting police officers would make the “peaceful movement” argument a tougher case to make.
As such, protest leaders and reporters scrambled to contain the narrative and shift attention back to the report the Justice Department released claiming racism is rampant in the Ferguson Police Department.
Just for the record I barely recognize Jeffrey Williams he wasn't a regular protester #Ferguson
— Bassem masri (@masri_bassem) March 15, 2015
You all know the shooting at #Ferguson PD does not discredit the #FergusonReport or the fact the police & system is racist right?
— Bassem masri (@masri_bassem) March 15, 2015
Mug shot: Williams was taken into custody without a struggle. Possible he was firing at someone other than police. pic.twitter.com/9f76D587kB
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 15, 2015
Asked 4 protest regulars if they've ever seen/met Jeffrey Williams. Their text responses: "No" "Hell no" "Nope. No" "Never"
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 15, 2015
That's not to say he's never protested in Ferguson – literally hundreds maybe thousands have – but safe to say he's not a regular.
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 15, 2015
Fwiw: as someone who has spent a lot of hours at Ferguson protests, I've never seen that guy. But, I've been out of town for awhile
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 15, 2015
@BenHowe @DCHokiefan my tweets provided context: that if police said he had protested, he probably had. But that he wasn't among core group
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 15, 2015
Target and motive will have to be sorted out but, based on all I now know, I am satisfied that Williams was never a protester.
— Goldie Taylor © (@goldietaylor) March 15, 2015
Judging from what I and other reporters remember, and some prominent activists, this guy was no mainstay, if he had ever protested at all.
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) March 15, 2015
But protest is not exactly something you need a membership card to join, especially when things get big, so it's hard to know.
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) March 15, 2015
Williams charged with "firing from a vehicle" – how then was he a "protester?" And why call him that when he was not *with* the protesters?
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) March 15, 2015
Never. RT @christy_shantel: Has any of my protest family seen this guy at any demonstration? #FergusonShooting pic.twitter.com/jt6BUzXBG8
— #BlackExperience (@kidnoble) March 15, 2015
Turns out, as stated previously, the person who shot the police meant to shoot the protestors and was not "embedded" with them, but in car.
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) March 15, 2015
I'm still looking for anyone who has seen or interacted with Jeffrey Williams. So far frequent protesters say they've never seen him.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 15, 2015
Here's the issue: Anyone can say they are a protester and be correct. It's how you self-identify. But was Williams a regular? Don't think so
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 15, 2015