The St. Louis Police Union spokesman Jeff Roorda says the Ferguson protesters are threatening police officers and their family members.



Ferguson protesters light a Molotov cocktail to throw at police in Ferguson, Missouri. (Kennie Bahr)

“This is not freedom of speech. Threatening law enforcement is not freedom of speech.”



KMOV reported:

Police said they are receiving threats from demonstrators who have been participating in recent protests.

From Ferguson to St. Louis, officers said threats came to them and to their families. While police voice little about it, it is something that is adding to the tensions between protesters and police.

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Jeff Roorda of the St. Louis Police Officers Association said it is his job to stand up for police officers, especially those receiving threats. Roorda came to the defense of a St. Louis Police officer who is under investigation for allegedly contacting the employer of an activist. The activist made a YouTube video as she called the officer to confront him. Roorda said that officer is currently the target of threats and is among the list of cops receiving a steady stream of threats. He added that the family of the officer is also receiving threats along with cyber-attacks for expressing his opinion.

“They want to be unabated in their attacks against law enforcement, mistreatment of facts and in their threats against law enforcement. These are people calling for violence against police officers,” said Roorda of the protesters.

Ferguson October organizers insist they are not about threats or violence.