7 PHOTOS Charles Barkley/Ferguson See Gallery Charles Barkley backs police, calls violent Ferguson protestors 'scumbags' CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 30: Kevin Hart (C) introduces Kendrick Lamar with Kristen Ledlow and Charles Barkley during the Cleveland Cavaliers & Turner Sports Home Opener Fan Fest on October 30, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Angelo Merendino/Getty Images) CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 30: TNT commentators Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, and Marv Albert speak before a game between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers on October 30, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0149 -- Pictured: (l-r) Charles Barkley during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on October 27, 2014 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) FERGUSON, MO - NOVEMBER 25: Prime Beauty lays in a smoking pile of rubble after it was set fire the prior night when riots erupted after the Grand Jury decided not to indict white Police Officer Daren Wilson in the shooting death of black 18-year old Michael Brown in Ferguson, on November 25, 2014. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Nov. 15, 2006 - K8156JW.CHARLES BARKLEY.1992. JERRY WACHTER- PHOTOS(Credit Image: Â© Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS.com) FERGUSON, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 25: On West Florissant road businesses have been looted and set on fire by the protesters after having the news that the St. Louis County grand jury has decided to not indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown. November 25, 2014. (Photo by Sebastiano Tomada/Getty Images) Dellwood, Mo., USA. 24th Nov, 2014. Cars burn at the Auto Buy Credit dealership at 10250 W. Florissant in Dellwood, Mo., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014. Protesters took to the streets, erupting in mass looting and confrontation with riot police throughout the night, after a grand jury did not indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. Â© Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS/Alamy Live News Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

By RYAN GORMAN NBA great Charles Barkley called rioting Ferguson protestors "scumbags" last week and pleaded with African Americans to stop seeing police as the enemy during a radio interview.The former Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns star told a Philly sports talk show that the Ferguson grand jury made the right decision but also bashed the rioters looting and burning the town to the ground."Those aren't black people, those are scumbags," the NBA Hall of Famer griped to WPEN "There is no excuse for people to be out there burning down people's businesses, burning down police cars."Many of the businesses destroyed are minority-owned, according to reports . Ferguson's population is also predominantly black Barkley, who has also been named to the NBA's " 50 Greatest Players of All-Time ," further ripped the protestors railing against the St. Louis County grand jury's decision to not indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for shooting unarmed black teen Michael Brown dead back on August 9."The true story came out from the grand jury testimony," the former Houston Rockets player said. "Three or four witnesses, who were black, said exactly what the cop said."The power forward also took issue with blacks shouting "f**k the police" every time they see cops."We have to be really careful with the cops, because if it wasn't for the cops we would be living in the Wild, Wild West in our neighborhoods," he said. "We can't pick out certain incidents that don't go our way and act like the cops are all bad."Do you know how bad some of these neighborhoods would be if it wasn't for the cops?"The "round mound of rebound" was not finished there, he also hurled a few shots at the press, blaming media for rumors and misinformation spreading during the grand jury proceedings and riots."They love this stuff, and lead people to jump to conclusions," said Barkley, himself currently a TNT studio analyst . "The media shouldn't do that. They never do that when black people kill each other."Barkley, as is often the case, is swimming against a tide of other athletes when it comes to the Ferguson issue.The former college star at Auburn famously agreed with the George Zimmerman verdict as well."I think Mr. Zimmerman was racially profiling Trayvon Martin," Barkley told CNN . "He was wrong in that. I think he was over-aggressive."But I think at some point, they switched places and Mr. Martin was aggressive."Five players for the St. Louis Rams drew police condemnation after they entered Sunday's game flashing the "hands up, don't shoot" pose used by protestors around the country.