This morning, residents of Ferguson, Missouri woke up to the charred remains of the memorial for slain 18-year-old resident Mike Brown. The memorial, the usual collection of flowers, photos and stuffed animals, burned in the early morning hours. Ferguson residents, along with sympathizers from elsewhere, have spent the greater part of the last two months protesting and assembling in town hall style meetings, demanding the arrest of officer Darren Wilson, and running from tear gas, rubber bullets, and police in riot gear.

The memorial, placed in the middle of the street where Brown was shot, had survived for over a month. Teddy bears, t-shirts, notes, and other assorted trinkets formed the mass of well wishes. The memorial to Mike Brown was reduced to ash. Police believe the same tea candles that had been used to honor Brown at the site were repositioned to ignite the memorial.


In the heat of police ineptitude and militarization, while local government seemingly moves as slowly as possible and constitutional rights are usurped, any number of affected citizens decided to memorialize Brown’s senseless death with love and concern. The family and friends he left behind, no doubt dogged by sleepless nights and weary hearts, have visited his memorial on Canfield Drive. Police officer Darren Wilson shot Brown in broad daylight. He has not been charged with any crime. The coward or cowards who torched Brown’s memorial under the cover of darkness haven’t been found, let alone charged.

People are reenergized both in and about Ferguson. They should be. They should not be surprised in any great measure, as this act of aggression falls in line with so much of what has come in response to the death of Mike Brown. We’ve talked about Black on Black crime, like we always do, even though crime is crime. We’ve screamed racism at folks who’ve discussed race in relation to the case, though race, not any stolen merchandise, is the reason many smart people will say Brown was shot and Wilson remains free. And now, we’re here, at the point where a community’s expression of grief was too much to stand for one or a few people.


It makes sense that even Ferguson’s grief was cause for anger.

It makes complete sense.