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If Ottawa police feared that Tuesday night’s vigil for Michael Brown — the unarmed 18-year-old black man shot and killed last August by police in Ferguson, Missouri — might turn violent, their fears were groundless.

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The vigil, which attracted about 200 people despite near-zero temperatures, was peaceful, orderly and, most of the time, almost eerily silent.

There were no angry chants or raised fists; just the muffled sound of mittened hands intermittently applauding a succession of speakers, a drummer, and an impromptu a cappella singer.

[np_storybar title=”Ferguson despondent over destruction: ‘Ignorant people who took advantage of an opportunity'” link=”http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/11/25/smoke-still-drifting-across-business-destroyed-by-fire-after-unrest-in-ferguson/”]

FERGUSON, Mo. – Natalie DuBose said she hasn’t had time even to think about the controversial grand-jury decision that ended a police shooting case here. She had more practical matters to contend with Tuesday.

Out-of-control protesters the night before tried twice to smash her bakery’s plate-glass window, were unsuccessful, then stole chairs from a neighbouring law office and finally got the job done, showering stacks of her packaging with glass shards.