Demonstrators close down three New York bridges as peaceful protests occur in 90 cities across the U.S

There were 61 arrests in Ferguson overnight and 21 arrests in St Louis, according to the police

Missouri cop was shot amid the violent protests and is in an unknown

150 live gunshots were heard, with reports suggesting police officers were being targeted by rioters

More than a dozen local businesses were set on fire including a storage center, Walgreens and pizza shop

Police said disturbances in Ferguson 'much worse' than those that erupted in aftermath of the shooting


Enraged protesters set fire to buildings and cars and looted businesses in Ferguson, Missouri, after a grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer over the death of unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown, whose shooting exposed deep racial tensions between African-Americans and police.

Some 61 people were arrested in Ferguson overnight, mainly for burglary and trespassing, according to St Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman. Meanwhile in St Louis, there were 21 arrests, according to mayor Francis Slay, where some protesters broke windows of businesses.

Violence flared after the decision was announced by St Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch at around 8:25pm on Monday evening, and continued throughout the evening and into early Tuesday morning.

As President Barack Obama appeared on television to appeal for calm, angry crowds took to the streets after the grand jury determined there was no probable cause to charge Officer Darren Wilson with any crime for the shooting of Brown this summer.

St Louis police reported that rioters fired 150 live gunshots and more than a dozen local businesses were razed to the ground by arsonists. Some reports say that fire fighters have been tackling up to 25 structural fires caused by rioters.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said that the disturbances this time were 'much worse' than those that erupted in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

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Celebration: Protestors parade in the parking lot of a burning auto parts store in Ferguson following the grand jury decision

Police said that up to 25 structures were razed by rioters in Ferguson. There were 80 arrests in the suburb and in the city of St Louis

Flames: A local storage facility is set ablaze in Ferguson during disturbances that saw 150 live gunshots fired, according to police

Ferguson has been struggling to return to normal after Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was killed by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson police officer

Up in flames: Police in riot gear stand near a burning car on a street in Ferguson on Monday. Moments after the announcement by St. Louis County's top prosecutor, crowds began pouring into Ferguson streets to protest the decision

Heavily armed police arrive at a business in Dellwood, a neighbouring suburb to Ferguson, as cars in a parking lot next to the building burn

Confrontation: A police officer aims his non-lethal shotgun at protestors in Ferguson

Preparation: Police put on their gas masks after chasing off looters from a business in Ferguson

Opportunist: Looters run from a gas station as police arrive during the rioting in a heavily armored SWAT vehicle

Crackdown: Police dismount from a vehicle as they chase looters away from a business in Ferguson

Taking stock: Concerned business owners survey damage suffered during rioting in Ferguson

Raid: Looters smashed their way into a local Ferguson business and helped themselves to products that it sold

Out of control: Police in riot gear move past a vehicle that continues to burn on the street in Ferguson

Fearsome: A demonstrator flashes a peace sign before a burning police car during clashes between police and protesters over the decision in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brown

Patrol: A police officer and his service dog walk past an auto parts store set ablaze by protestors in Ferguson

So far during the Ferguson protests there have been 29 arrests, 13 injuries – and no fatalities, with police saying they have not fired any shots

Pizza: Firefighters work on extinguishing the burning Little Ceasar's restaurant in Ferguson on Monday night. Some protestors taunted police, broke windows and vandalized cars

Race: A firefighter walks past the burning Little Ceasars restaurant in Ferguson on Monday. Within a few hours, several large buildings were ablaze, and frequent gunfire was heard

Chaos: Police ride on a vehicle past a burning building that was set ablaze by protestors in Ferguson

Blaze: Police warned protesters Monday night to stay away from burning police cars which contain live ammunition. Officers used tear gas to try to disperse some of the gatherings

A car burns on the street after a grand jury returned no indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri on November 24

A number of St. Louis-bound flights were diverted or cancelled Monday night because of concern about gunfire being aimed into the sky, a Lambert-St. Louis International Airport spokesman said, but the restrictions expired at 3:30 a.m.

After three months of waiting for the controversial verdict, Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, collapsed in grief as it was announced, screaming 'This is wrong!'

The victim's stepfather screamed 'Burn this b**** down'. Meanwhile, Wilson's attorneys issued a statement in which he thanked 'those who have stood by his side throughout the process'.

Within minutes of the announcement by the county's top prosecutor, crowds began pouring into Ferguson streets to protest the decision.

Some taunted police, shattered windows and vandalized cars. Several gunshots were also heard. Officers released tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the gatherings.

Prosecuting Attorney McCulloch said the jury of nine whites and three black jury members met on 25 separate days and heard more than 70 hours of testimony from about 60 witnesses, including three medical examiners and other experts on blood, toxicology and firearms.

He stressed that jurors were 'the only people who heard every witness ... and every piece of evidence'. He said many witnesses presented conflicting statements that were inconsistent with the physical evidence. 'These grand jurors poured their hearts and soul into this process,' he said.

McCulloch pointed out that many early reports in the incident were found not to be true by the official investigation, such as the report that officer Wilson stood over Brown's body and fired the fatal shots into his back. The autopsy revealed that Wilson shot Brown to death as the young man walked towards him.

STATEMENT FROM MICHAEL BROWN'S FAMILY: We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions. While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen. Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera. We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction. Let's not just make noise, let's make a difference. Advertisement

After months of reviewing the evidence, the seven men and five women on the grand jury decided not to bring up any of a handful of possible charges against Wilson, which included first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter.

As McCulloch was reading his statement, Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, was sitting atop a vehicle listening to a broadcast of the announcement.

She put her face in her hands and sobbed violently. Seconds before she had said: 'This is wrong!

'Everybody want me to be calm but you know how them bullets hit my son.

'Ain't nobody had to live through what I had to live through.

'Why? They (pointing at the police) ain't never gonna care.'

Brown's step-father Louis Head jumped up and down as he erupted in rage and said: 'Burn this b**** down! Burn this b**** down!'

Minutes earlier as Ms McSpadden listened to the decision being read out she shouted: 'What was he (Wilson) defending himself from?

'Some of you motherf****** think this is a joke!'

The family released a statement saying they were 'disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions'. Earlier in the day, the family asked for 4.5 minutes of silence following the verdict and peaceful protests - no matter what the decision.

The crowd with Ms McSpadden erupted in anger, converging on the barricade where police in riot gear were standing. They pushed down the barricade and began pelting police with objects, including a bullhorn. Officers stood their ground.

Anger: Demonstrators, many with their faces covered by scarves, try to push over a police car in Ferguson

Masked protesters attack a St Louis county police car during clashes following the grand jury decision despite the appeals for calm

Rampage: Demonstrators brazenly loot a local store in Ferguson following the grand jury decision with armfuls of goods being carried off

An antique furniture shop on South Florissant Road in Ferguson burns moments after its window were broken out

Destruction: Police officers wearing gas masks and carrying riot shields watch a business burn after it was set on fire by protestors

Show of force: Police fire canisters of tear gas from armored vehicles as demonstratos move on to the streets in Ferguson

Destroyed: Cars burn at a car dealership as demonstrators protest the Grand Jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson

Heavy smoke: A firefighter at work during the rioting in Ferguson which erupted soon after Officer Wilson was put in the clear

Anarchy: Looters run out of a business in Ferguson during a night that saw dozens arrested and up to 25 buildings set on fire

Vandalism: A looter breaks windows at a McDonald's during the rioting that was described as 'much worse' than the disturbances that took place in the immediate aftermath of the shooting

Havoc: Looters throw items into a burning business during the post-verdict rioting

Arson: Two men walk by the burning Little Caesars restaurant in Ferguson Missouri, USA, on 24 November after violence flared again in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson on Monday, with gunshots heard and tear gas fired, after a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in August

After months of reviewing the evidence, the 12 men and women on the grand jury decided not to bring up any of a handful of possible charges against Wilson, which included first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter

St Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch made the announcement around 8:30pm, first stating his condolences to the victim's family and explaining the 'exhaustive' process the grand jury went through before coming to their decision

Rage: After months of waiting, the decision was finally made public late on Monday as the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson braced for protests following months of unrest in a case which has become a flash point for race relations in the U.S

Seasons Greeting: Protestors decided to set parts of the city alight - including this vehicle - just on shot of a festive street sign

Guard: Police officers stand in a line next to a burning police car during a demonstration in Ferguson

Firefighters try to extinguish a burning restaurant set on fire after protesters rioted following the grand jury announcement in the Michael Brown case

Not-so-happy holiday season: Police in riot gear form a line to control protesters underneath a 'Seasons Greetings' sign in Ferguson on Monday

Ferguson is burning: At least a dozen buildings were razed to the ground overnight on Monday as violent clashes with police escalated

The violent protesters went on to damage cars, as well as start fires and loot local businesses. As of early Tuesday morning, more than a dozen local businesses were burning down including a storage center, meat market and Lille Caesars pizza shop.

A few rioters used the chaos as a opportunity to loot local shots, and were pictured fleeing with stolen goods from a liquor store and Toys R Us.

Others congregated and marched shouting 'Hands up, don't shoot. No justice, no peace'.

About 400 protesters outside the Ferguson police station became panicked after hearing rapid gunfire down the road.

Protesters tried to flip a police SUV then ran through parked cars smashing windows indiscriminately. They smashed the windows of two restaurants and threw rocks at police in full riot gear. A group was reportedly trying to break into City Hall.

Officers in riot gear responded early on by ordering the crowds to disperse, saying they were blocking the road and gathering illegally.

When the protesters did not comply, police reacted by shooting bean bag rounds, stun grenades and tear gas into the crowds.

Police initially said the canisters thrown into the crowd were just smoke, and not tear gas, but CNN reporters appeared to be struggling to breathe after coming into contact with the exhaust. The police later corrected their statement, saying they indeed had fired tear gas.

The FAA designated a no-fly zone over Ferguson. Agency sources told MailOnline that the directive was issued because of rounds being fired in the air.

Night of extremes: Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze, set by rioters, at a Little Caesar's restaurant in Ferguson

The aftermath: Firefighters work to extinguish a fire that engulfed a Little Caesar's restaurant in Ferguson

Wrecked: A Ferguson firefighter surveys rubble at a strip mall that was set on fire when rioting erupted

Heart-breaking: Parts of Ferguson were left looking like a war zone after rioters set buildings ablaze and looted shops

No charges: A grand jury has decided that police officer Darren Wilson (left) will not face charges for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, 18, (right) in Ferguson, Missouri last August

OFFICER DARREN WILSON'S STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE JURY'S VERDICT 'Today, a St. Louis County grand jury released its decision that no charges would be filed in the case involving Officer Darren Wilson. 'From the onset, we have maintained and the grand jury agreed that Officer Wilson's actions on August 9 were in accordance with the laws and regulations that govern the procedures of an officer. 'In a case of this magnitude, a team of prosecutors rightfully presented evidence to this St. Louis County grand jury. 'This group of citizens, drawn at random from the community, listened to witnesses and heard all the evidence in the case. 'Based on the evidence and witness testimony, the grand jury collectively determined there was no basis for criminal charges against Officer Wilson. 'Law enforcement personnel must frequently make split-second and difficult decisions. Officer Wilson followed his training and followed the law. 'We recognize that many people will want to second-guess the grand jury's decision. We would encourage anyone who wants to express an opinion do so in a respectful and peaceful manner. 'On a side note, Officer Wilson would like to thank those who have stood by his side throughout the process. This continued support is greatly appreciated by Officer Wilson and his family. 'Moving forward, any commentary on this matter will be done in the appropriate venue and not through the media.' Source: STL Today Advertisement

Outcry: Michael Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden, seen in a white beanie and sunglasses, being held by a man in a green baseball shirt, collapsed after hearing the decision Monday night

Heartbroken: Ms McSpadden publicly sobbed and yelled 'this is wrong!' after the decision, while Brown's step-father yelled 'burn this b**** down'

Police rush in to break up protesters outside the Ferguson Police Station

Violence: The Brown family called for peaceful protests in their official statement, but the crowds quickly turned violent and police officers in riot gear shot tear gas into the masses of demonstrators. Above, A protester stands with his hands on his head as tear gas fills a Ferguson street Monday night

In pain: A protester stands in the street with what appears to be milk streaming down her face, after being treated for tear gas exposure Monday night

TIMELINE OF EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF MICHAEL BROWN AUGUST 9 - Brown and a companion, both black, are confronted by an officer as they walk back to Brown's home from a convenience store. Brown and the officer, who is white, are involved in a scuffle, followed by gunshots. Brown dies at the scene, and his body remains in the street for four hours in the summer heat. Neighbors later lash out at authorities, saying they mistreated the body. AUGUST 10 - After a candlelight vigil, people protesting Brown's death smash car windows and carry away armloads of looted goods from stores. In the first of several nights of violence, looters are seen making off with bags of food, toilet paper and alcohol. Some protesters stand atop police cars and taunt officers. AUGUST 11 - The FBI opens an investigation into Brown's death, and two men who said they saw the shooting tell reporters that Brown had his hands raised when the officer approached with his weapon and fired repeatedly. That night, police in riot gear fire tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse a crowd. AUGUST 12 - Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson cancels plans to release the name of the officer who shot Brown, citing death threats against the police department and City Hall. AUGUST 14 - The Missouri Highway Patrol takes control of security in Ferguson, relieving St. Louis County and local police of their law-enforcement authority following four days of violence. The shift in command comes after images from the protests show many officers equipped with military style gear, including armored vehicles, body armor and assault rifles. In scores of photographs that circulate online, officers are seen pointing their weapons at demonstrators. AUGUST 15 - Police identify the officer who shot Brown as Darren Wilson, 28. They also release a video purporting to show Brown robbing a convenience store of almost $50 worth of cigars shortly before he was killed, a move that further inflames protesters. AUGUST 16 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew in Ferguson. AUGUST 17- Attorney General Eric Holder orders a federal medical examiner to perform another autopsy on Brown. AUGUST 18 - Nixon calls the National Guard to Ferguson to help restore order and lifts the curfew. AUGUST 19 - Nixon says he will not seek the removal of St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch from the investigation into Brown's death. Some black leaders questioned whether the prosecutor's deep family connections to police would affect his ability to be impartial. McCulloch's father was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty when McCulloch was a child, and he has many relatives who work in law enforcement. AUGUST 20 - Holder visits Ferguson to offer assurances about the investigation into Brown's death and to meet with investigators and Brown's family. In nearby Clayton, a grand jury begins hearing evidence to determine whether Wilson should be charged. AUGUST 21 - Nixon orders the National Guard to begin withdrawing from Ferguson. SEPTEMBER 25- Holder announces his resignation but says he plans to remain in office until his successor is confirmed. SEPTEMBER 25- Ferguson Chief Tom Jackson releases a videotaped apology to Brown's family and attempts to march in solidarity with protesters, a move that backfires when Ferguson officers scuffle with demonstrators and arrest one person moments after Jackson joins the group. OCTOBER 10 - Protesters from across the country descend on the St. Louis region for 'Ferguson October,' four days of coordinated and spontaneous protests. A weekend march and rally in downtown St. Louis draws several thousand participants. OCTOBER 13 - Amid a downpour, an interfaith group of clergy cross a police barricade on the final day of Ferguson October as part of an event dubbed 'Moral Monday'. The protests extend beyond Ferguson to sites such as the nearby headquarters of Fortune 500 company Emerson Electric and the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis, site of a Monday Night Football game between the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. OCTOBER 21 - Nixon pledges to create an independent Ferguson Commission to examine race relations, failing schools and other broader social and economic issues in the aftermath of Brown's death. NOVEMBER 17 - The Democratic governor declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard again ahead of a decision from a grand jury. He places the St. Louis County Police Department in charge of security in Ferguson, with orders to work as a unified command with St. Louis city police and the Missouri Highway Patrol. NOVEMBER 18 - Nixon names 16 people to the Ferguson Commission, selecting a diverse group that includes the owner of construction-supply company, two pastors, two attorneys, a university professor, a 20-year-old community activist and a police detective. Nine of its members are black. Seven are white. NOVEMBER 24 - St. Louis County prosecutor's office says the grand jury has reached a decision NOT to charge Wilson Advertisement

President Barack Obama held a press conference shortly after the news was announced to calm tensions in Ferguson, saying violence was not the answer.

'We are a nation built on the rule of law, so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury's to make,' the president said, adding that he stood with the Brown family in calling for peaceful protests.

However, Mr Obama went on to admit that the highly-public investigation showed there are issues that need to be fixed between police and residents in predominantly black communities like Ferguson.

'There are still issues, and communities of color are not making these things up...These are real issues,' the president said.

However, he added that a solution would not be found in violence.

'That won't be done by throwing bottles, by smashing car windows or using this as an excuse to vandalize property, and it certainly won't be done by hurting anybody,' the president said.

Police search for looters at a burning Walgreens store which was set on fire by protestors

Disruption: Police confront protestors in Ferguson using armored vehicles and riot shields

Stay calm: President Obama held a press conference shortly after the grand jury's decision was announced, asking protesters to demonstrate peacefully in the streets of Ferguson. The president's directives were not followed by the demonstrators in Missouri

Stand-off: Witnesses on the ground in Ferguson say police have been shooting bean bag rounds and stun grenades into the crowd along with tear gas. Above, police officers confront protesters following the unpopular decision not to indict Officer Wilson was announced Monday night

Looting: Protesters wearing gas masks used the chaos on the streets of Ferguson as an opportunity to steal from a local store

Outburst of violence: A mob of angry protesters are seen surrounding a Saint Louis County Police cruiser, smashing in the windows

Shots fired: Michael Brown was shot several times by Officer Darren Wilson (scene on left) in the St Louis suburb on August 9, sparking months of protests

Smash: Protesters vandalize a police car outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson, Missouri, after a grand jury returned no indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown

Brown's family have said that the teen was trying to surrender when the officer shot him while Wilson's supporters said that he was acting in self-defense.

However, Wilson claimed that Brown was much more aggressive and that he taunted him, saying: 'You're too much of a f****** p**** to shoot me'. County prosecutor McCulloch also said that Wilson was indeed trying to apprehend Brown in connection to a convenience store robbery.

Recounting how he shot six bullets into his body, Wilson said: 'One of those, however many of them, hit him in the head, and he went down right there.'

In his police interview released as part of the Grand Jury evidence, Wilson said that he was completely calm at the start of the incident as he stopped Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson as they walked along the street in Ferguson, Missouri. Pictures were also released with the evidence, showing Wilson's minor injuries in the fight with Brown, including some bruising to his face and neck.

Wilson claims he told the pair: 'Hey guys, why don't you walk on the sidewalk?' to which they replied they were nearly home.

'Okay, but what's wrong with the sidewalk?' to which Johnson replied: 'F*** what you have to say'.

Wilson drove off and then drove back to speak to them at which point Brown suddenly punched him and they got into a struggle as he tried to get out of his police SUV.

Wilson said he reached for his gun and said: 'Stop I'm going to shoot' to which Brown replied: 'You're too much of a f****** p**** too shoot me'.

A new view of Officer Wilson: The first picture of Officer Wilson, taken immediately after he killed Michael Brown. The pictures were released with the rest of the evidence in the case after the decision not to indict was announced Monday night

Injuries: The pictures taken of Wilson after the fatal shooting show his minor injuries, including bruising on his cheek and neck

The interview was carried out by an unnamed detective the day after the shooting at the St Louis County Police Headquarters.

Recounting the moment he killed Brown, Wilson said: 'I was yelling at him to stop and get on the ground.

'He kept running and then he stopped in this area somewhere. When he stopped he turned, looked at me, made a grunting noise and had the most intense aggressive face I've ever seen on a person.

'When he looked at me he then did like the hop...you know when people do to start running. And he started running at me. During his first stride he took his right hand and put it under his shirt and into his waistband.

'And I ordered him to stop and get on the ground again. He didn't. I fired a multiple shots.

'After I fired the multiple shots I paused for a second, yelled at him to get on the ground again, he was still in the same state.

KEY FIGURES IN THE FERGUSON CASE MICHAEL BROWN Michael Brown graduated from Normandy High School last spring and was preparing to attend Vatterott College, where he planned to study to become a heating and air conditioning technician. Friends say he eventually wanted to go into business for himself. Relatives and friends described Brown, who grew up in a tough neighborhood, as a quiet, gentle giant who stood around 6-foot-3 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. He was unarmed on the day he was killed. Police said later that he was a suspect in the 'strong-arm' robbery of a convenience store moments before the shooting. A family attorney said Brown may have made mistakes but did not deserve to die. 'He was just looking forward to getting on with his life,' said his grandmother, Desuirea Harris. 'He was on his way.' DARREN WILSON Some descriptions of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson are similar those of Brown. Both men have been described as gentle and quiet. Police Chief Thomas Jackson said Wilson had no previous complaints against him and a good career record. 'He's devastated,' the chief said after naming Wilson as the shooter back in August. 'He never intended for this to happen. He is, and has been, an excellent police officer.' Wilson began his career in nearby Jennings before moving to the Ferguson job several years ago. He was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting. Wilson married fellow Ferguson police officer Barbara Lynn Spradling in October, CNN reported. POLICE CHIEF THOMAS JACKSON Thomas Jackson was a police veteran long before he came to Ferguson. He spent more than 30 years with the St. Louis County Police Department, at one point serving as commander of a drug task force. Before that he was a SWAT team supervisor, undercover detective and hostage negotiator. He heads a department with 53 officers, only three of them black, in a town where nearly 70 percent of the 21,000 residents are African-American. 'I'm constantly trying to recruit African-Americans and other minorities,' Jackson has said. 'But it's an uphill battle. The minority makeup of this police department is not where I want it to be.' Some of Jackson's actions in the wake of the shooting have drawn criticism, including his decision to announce that Brown was a suspect in the convenience-store robbery, a move that stirred anger in Ferguson's black community. ST. LOUIS COUNTY PROSECUTOR BOB MCCULLOCH Since his election in 1991, Bob McCulloch has been the top prosecutor in St. Louis County. A Democrat with a reputation for being tough on crime, he comes from a law-enforcement family. He was 12 years old when his father, a police officer, was shot and killed by a black suspect in 1964. Some critics, including St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, questioned whether McCulloch's ability to be objective in the Ferguson case. They wondered if losing his father in such circumstances creates a built-in bias. A petition began circulating in August demanding that McCulloch recuse himself from the investigation of Michael Brown's death so that a special prosecutor could be appointed. The petition has so far garnered over 100,000 signatures. 'I have absolutely no intention of walking away from the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me by the people in this community.'McCulloch told radio station KTRS after Governor Jay Nixon suggested it would be appropriate for McCulloch to step aside from the case. It was McCulloch's decision, back in May, to turn the decision of whether to arrest and charge Wilson over to a grand jury. He promised to release all available evidence if the grand jury voted not to indict Wilson. MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL CAPT. RON JOHNSON During a 27-year career, Capt. Ron Johnson climbed from patrolman to chief of the 11-county division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol that includes St. Louis and its suburbs. Back in August, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Johnson to take command of security in Ferguson. That decision came after complaints that authorities were too heavy handed with protesters, when St. Louis County police were in charge. Johnson's calm but commanding presence drew high praise from many observers. When Johnson, who is black, walked down the streets of Ferguson with protesters, many demonstrators shook his hand or posed for photos with him. He carried himself with a disarming empathy, reminded locals of his Ferguson roots and suggested that he, too, had lessons to learn from the case. 'We all ought to be thanking the Browns for Michael, because Michael's going to make it better for our sons, so they can be better black men,' he said during public remarks in August. He also apologized to Brown's family. 'I wear this uniform, and I should stand up here and say that I'm sorry,' he said. MISSOURI GOV. JAY NIXON Anyone who doubts Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's stance against crime need look no further than the state's long record of executions. During his four terms as attorney general and two terms as governor, Missouri has executed 66 convicted killers, a total few states can match. Events in Ferguson could have a significant effect on the political future of the 58-year-old Democrat. He drew some criticism in the days immediately after the shooting for keeping a low profile, but he soon moved to the forefront, putting state police in charge of security and then calling in the National Guard to help quell the violence. He claimed to be unhappy with local police's decision to release tape of Brown shoplifting from a convenience store. 'To attempt to in essence disparage the character of this victim in the middle of a process is not right,' he said on MSNBC's Meet the Press. He also claimed he was not made aware of the decision to release the footage ahead of time. Nixon has a strained relationship with African American leaders in the city due to an antagonistic stance towards urban busing, intended to help integrate Missouri schools. During his successful campaign for attorney general in 1992, Nixon said busing 'is a failed social experiment' and a waste of tax dollars. Court decisions ended mandatory busing for schools in St Louis and Kansas City. ATTORNEY BENJAMIN CRUMP Benjamin Crump became a national figure when he represented the family of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager fatally shot by a neighborhood-watch organizer in 2012. Now he's back in the spotlight, representing Brown's family in another racially charged death. Crump, 44, was born in North Carolina, one of nine children. Now based in Tallahassee, Florida, he rose to prominence with a reputation for thoughtful prose. At times, he seems to fight back his own emotions as he talks about the loss suffered by Brown's parents. To him, the issue is simple. 'I don't want to sugarcoat it,' Crump said in August. Brown 'was executed in broad daylight.' ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER Almost from the outset, Attorney General Eric Holder showed a strong interest in Michael Brown's death. Two days after the shooting, Holder said the case deserved a full review and dispatched a Justice Department team to Ferguson to try to calm tensions. The department soon launched its own civil-right investigation. Holder ordered a federal medical examiner to perform a third autopsy on Brown and called the Brown family to express his condolences. He said aggressively pursuing these types of investigations is 'critical for preserving trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.' Holder issued a statement after the grand jury decision that 'the Justice Department's investigation into the shooting of Michael Brown remains ongoing.' Advertisement

Sparks: Smoke fills a Ferguson, MIssouri, street, after the grand jury announcement on Monday night

Flee: A couple runs away from the riots as tear gas canisters are launched into the crowds and fill the streets will smoke

Chaos: Police have tried to break up the violent crowds by using tear gas on Monday night. The President and U.S. Attorney General have called for restraint from law enforcement in dealing with protesters

'Still charging hands, still in his waistband, still hadn't slowed down.

'I fired another set of shots. Same thing, still running at me, hadn't slowed down, hands still in his waistband.

'He gets about eight to ten feet away, he's still coming at me in the same way.

'One of those, however many of them, hit him in the head, and he went down right there.

'When he went down his hand was still under his, his right hand was still under his body, looked like it was still in his waistband. I never touched him.'

At a later part of the interview Wilson went over the final moments again and described Brown as 'very aggressive'.

He said: 'I don't really know how to describe it. Um, he turns, I look at his face. It was just like intense. It was.

'I've never seen anybody look like that, for lack of a better words, crazy. I've never seen that.

'It was very aggravated, um, aggressive, hostile. You could tell he was lookin' through ya. There was nothing he was seeing.'

Wilson's account is in contrast with that of several eyewitnesses and Brown's companion, Dorian Johnson.

The friend claimed that the unarmed teen had his hands up, or by his side, and begged the officer 'Stop shooting.'

Helping himself: A man steps out of a vandalized store after the announcement of the grand jury decision Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri

Target: A police officer points a shotgun directly at protestors during a demonstration on November 24, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri - actions that the police were explicitly criticized for when rioting first broke out following August 9 and the death of Michael Brown

Not proud to be American: Protesters took to defiling the American Flag in response to the decision, which sees Officer Darren Wilson not charged for causing Michael Brown's death

Harder to breathe: Protesters run from a cloud of tear gas Monday night in Ferguson, Missouri, where local police are trying to control violent crowds

Before the verdict was announced, groups from across the country have said they would demonstrate in large numbers if charges were not brought - prompting local police to draw up contingency plans over fears of violence.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urged police to show restraint in dealing with any protests that may follow the decision on whether to indict Wilson.

There have been reports that a militant group is offering a cash reward for anyone who can give them the location of Wilson.

The group, describing itself as a 'Militant Resistance to a corrupt police state', has offered $5,000 for details of the Ferguson police officer's whereabouts.

Tensions have simmered for months in the St Louis suburb over a case that has become a flashpoint for U.S. race relations.

Police in riot gear arrested three people in Sunday night protests that led to scuffles, St. Louis County police said on Monday. Authorities said they doused one demonstrator with pepper-spray for resisting arrest.

FERGUSON GRAND JURY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Missouri grand jury heard evidence for months as it weighed whether to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the August 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown, which was followed by violent protests. Here are some answers to common questions about the secret and complicated grand jury process: Q: What was the grand jury deciding? A: The grand jury considered whether there is enough evidence to charge Wilson with a crime and, if so, what that charge should be. Q: How was the grand jury different from other juries? A: The grand jury can determine only whether probable cause exists to indict Wilson, not whether he is guilty. If the jury indicts him, a separate trial jury will be seated to decide whether to convict or acquit him. Q: How many people were on the grand jury and how were they selected? A: The grand jury was composed of 12 people 'selected at random from a fair cross-section of the citizens,' according to Missouri law. The jury was 75 percent white: six white men, three white women, two black women and one black man. St. Louis County overall is 70 percent white, but about two-thirds of Ferguson's residents are black. Brown was black. The officer is white. Q: Was the grand jury appointed for this specific case? A: No. It was appointed for a four-month term. The grand jury had been hearing routine cases around the time Brown was killed and then turned its attention to the shooting. The jury's term was due to expire Sept. 10. That same day, county Judge Carolyn Whittington extended the term to Jan. 7 — the longest extension allowable by state law. The investigation was always expected to go longer than the typical grand jury term. Q: How often did the grand jurors meet? A: Their normal schedule was to meet once a week. Q: Who was inside the grand jury room? A: The jury, a prosecutor and a witness. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public. Q: What happened when the grand jury convened? A: Prosecutors presented evidence and summoned witnesses to testify. A grand jury is a powerful tool for investigating crimes because witnesses must testify unless they invoke the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against self-incrimination. Typically, grand jurors hear a condensed version of the evidence that might be presented at a trial. In the Ferguson case, grand jurors are receiving more extensive evidence and testimony. Q: Who testified to the grand jury? A: The only witnesses known for certain to have testified were Wilson and Dr. Michael Baden, who performed a private autopsy on Brown on behalf of his family. But other witnesses and experts may also have appeared. Q: What charges could be filed? A: At the lower end is second-degree involuntary manslaughter, which is defined as acting with criminal negligence to cause a death. It is punishable by up to four years in prison. First-degree involuntary manslaughter, defined as recklessly causing a death, is punishable by up to seven years in prison. Voluntary manslaughter, defined as causing a death 'under the influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause,' is punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Second-degree murder is defined as knowingly causing a death, or acting with the purpose of causing serious physical injury that ends up resulting in death. It is punishable by life in prison or a range of 10 to 30 years. The most serious charge, first-degree murder, can be used only when someone knowingly causes a death after deliberation and is punishable by either life in prison or lethal injection. Q: Do charges require a unanimous vote? A: No. Consent from nine jurors is enough to file a charge in Missouri. The jury could also choose not to file any charges. Advertisement

On Sunday, the teen's father, Michael Brown Sr., made a public service announcement appealing for calm and non-violence among protesters, saying that 'hurting others is not the answer'.

Mr Brown said: 'No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son's death to be in vain.

'I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St Louis region better for everyone.'

However the father made it clear that there is still more work to be done.

He said: 'Continue to lift your voices with us and lets work together to heal and to create lasting change for all people regardless of race.'

He also thanked many of the protesters for 'lifting [their] voices to end racial profiling and police intimidation'.

Fever pitch: Protesters and police officers in riot gear face off on a Ferguson street after the decision was announced Monday night

Free stuff: Ferguson Market and Liquor store is vandalized after the announcement of the grand jury decision Monday on November. 24, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri

Stolen goods: Rioters swarmed a liquor store on West Florisant street in Ferguson Monday night, carrying out bottles of alcohol, in the midst of the protests

On standby: Missouri National Guard stay on guard outside St. Louis County Courthouse in Clayton before the grand jury announcement that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will not face criminal charges

Arrested: Police detain a demonstrator amid tear gas during a demonstration to protest the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri

Fury: Protestors stand with their hands up during a demonstration on November 24, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. A St. Louis County grand jury has decided to not indict Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown

Protected: Smoke fills the streets as some buildings are on fire after the announcement of the grand jury decision on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014

Happy holidays: Police in riot gear use tear gas to clear the street in front of the Ferguson Police Department after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown

On Thursday, reports revealed that Officer Wilson had said he felt 'confident' he would not charged by the grand jury and was working with city officials to negotiate his resignation from the Ferguson Police Department.

It emerged on Monday that the 28-year-old officer had gotten married last month to a fellow Ferguson cop, 37-year-old Officer Barbara Spradling.

Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, said he met with Wilson, who has not been seen since the shooting.

'It's fair to say that neither he nor his defense team expect an indictment,' Roorda said.

The nearby Jennings School District said it would close on Monday and Tuesday due to the possibility of unrest in neighboring Ferguson.

The district was already scheduled to be closed the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Ferguson-Florrisant school district announced late on Monday that it was planning to close schools on Tuesday, along with all after-school and evening activities.

Meanwhile, thousands of people rallied in cities across the US including Los Angeles and New York to passionately but peacefully protest over the grand jury decision.

They led marches, waved signs and shouted chants of 'Hands up, don't shoot', the refrain that has become a rallying cry in protests over police killings across the US.

The most disruptive demonstrations were in the St Louis area and Oakland, California, where protesters flooded the lanes of freeways, milling around stopped cars with their hands raised in the air.

Activists had been planning to protest even before the night-time announcement that Officer Darren Wilson will not be charged over the shooting death of Michael Brown.

The racially charged case in Ferguson has inflamed tensions and reignited debates over police-community relations even in cities far from the predominantly black St Louis suburb.

Police departments in several major cities were braced for large demonstrations with the potential for the kind of violence that marred nightly protests in Ferguson after Mr Brown's killing.

But police elsewhere reported that gatherings were mostly peaceful following the court announcement.

As the night wore on, dozens of protesters in Oakland got past police and blocked traffic on an interstate highway. Police were able to corral the protesters and cleared the highway in one area, but another group soon entered the traffic lanes a short distance away. Police did not immediately report any arrests.

A diverse crowd of several hundred protesters marched and chanted in St Louis not far from the site of another police shooting, shutting down an interstate highway for a time. A few cars got stuck in the middle of the protesters, who appeared to be leaving the vehicles alone. They chanted 'Hands up, don't shoot' and 'Black lives matter.'

In Seattle, marching demonstrators stopped periodically to sit or lie down in city intersections, blocking traffic before moving on, as dozens of police officers watched.

People lay on the ground on Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Blvd during a demonstration in Beverly Hills, California following the grand jury decision

Groups ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred people also gathered in Chicago, Salt Lake City, and Washington, where people held up signs and chanted 'Justice for Michael Brown' outside the White House.

Traffic on New York City bridges was reportedly shut down as demonstrators marched in traffic lanes over the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Triboro bridges.

A line of NYPD officers attempted to push protesters off the RFK/Triboro Bridge, with reports that cops were threatening to arrest protesters around 1:25 AM early Tuesday.

Several thousand more people had marched from Union Square to Times Square to protest. Crowds had gathered on the plaza on Monday evening awaiting the decision, but once it was announced protesters mobilized and began marching north.

The family of Eric Garner, a black man killed by a police chokehold earlier this year, joined civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton at a speech in Harlem, lamenting the grand jury's decision.

In Los Angeles, which was rocked by riots in 1992 after the acquittal of police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, police officers were told to remain on duty until released by their supervisors. About 100 people gathered in Leimert Park, and a group of religious leaders held a small news conference demanding changes in police policies.

A group of about 200 demonstrators marched towards the city centre.

The marchers briefly shut down an interstate highway in central Los Angeles late last night. California Highway Patrol officers declared an unlawful assembly.

After midnight, about 100 police officers wearing riot gear fired hard foam projectiles into the ground to disperse about 50 protesters in central Los Angeles.

Another splinter group of about 30 people marched all the way to Beverly Hills, where they lay down in an intersection.

Police officers in gas masks in Oakland, California, form a line during a demonstration over the shooting of Michael Brown

Protesters block Interstate 580 in Oakland, California, on Monday after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict Wilson

Enraged: A woman approaches the barricade to confront the police outside the Ferguson Police Department after the decision was announced

Looking for leadership: Bonnie Mills, 19, left, a junior at Howard University, is hugged by a friend, who asked not to be named, as they gather with students from Howard University and others in front of the White House Monday, November 24, 2014, in Washington, in reaction to the Ferguson grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. 'We were sitting in the student lounge waiting for the verdict,' says Mills, 'and the fact that he won't even go to trial really affected us.'

Police grab a protester during a demonstration in Oakland, California