MOSCOW, August 15 (RIA Novosti) -The use of tear gas by the United States to disperse protests in Ferguson, Missouri could be a sign of dictatorship and excessive use of force, the head of the Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov wrote on his Twitter account Friday.
“The United States used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protests in Ferguson. Isn’t it a sign of dictatorship and excessive use of force?” Pushkov wrote.
On August 10, a Ferguson city police officer fatally shot unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown. Police said that shooting followed an assault on the officer, but eyewitnesses claim the 18-year-old was shot repeatedly as he ran away after an officer tried to pull him into a patrol vehicle.
Since the day of the tragedy, numerous protests have been staged in Ferguson. Dozens of citizens were injured as the police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
On Thursday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon appointed Missouri highway patrol to lead the police efforts in Ferguson. Ferguson-born African-American Captain Ron Johnson was appointed to head the team.
