Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency at Ferguson county and imposed a curfew last Saturday in the wake of non-stop demonstrations and looting that continued to besiege the town following the shooting of an unarmed black American teenager by a white police officer.

The curfew will run from midnight until 5am. Nixon said he had already ordered the highway patrol to provide and oversee security in the St. Louis community after a week of racially charged protests by the black community after Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by 28 year old white police officer Darren Wilson.

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Nixon addressed a gathering near the church at Ferguson and said the whole world is watching every development that unfolds in the community and that it is high time that the community shows that it can break the cycle of fear, violence, and distrust and replace them with peace, strength, and justice.

A large portion of the crowd was angry at the news and demanded that Wilson be arrested and prosecuted if they want an end to the demonstrations and restore peace in the community.

But Nixon said that public safety must be protected as people have become fearful because of the violent protests and lootings that have been happening in the community, lately.

The unrest erupted a week ago after Brown, who was walking with a friend  through a line of apartments to visit her grandmother, was fatally shot by Wilson.

Brown. who was set to enter college in a matter of days was reportedly unarmed when he was shot.

The protests were fuelled by the county police chief's refusal to identify the white police officer who shot Brown.

Though the Ferguson county police chief relented later and gave the name of Wilson, he explained that Brown, allegedly was involved in a convenience store robbery when he was shot by Wilson.

The black community in St Louis was enraged with the allegation  triggering the violent clashes between the police and the protesters.

The US Justice Department is currently investigating the case to determine if there were civil rights violations while the St Louis County Police Department has conducted a probe into the shooting.

Leading civil rights advocates are preparing a massive rally in the community this Sunday.

TagsMichael Brown Missouri Curfew, State of Emergency