By Daryl Hannah
Despite national and international criticism, Saint Louis County Police Chief John Belmar is defending his department’s use of tear gas, rifles and armored trucks against protestors responding to the shooting death of Michael Brown, the unarmed African-American teenager shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9.
Belmar, who oversaw the crackdown on protestors, told reporters on Wednesday that in his opinionas well as other police chiefs around the countrythe use of military-style equipment was necessary “because we patrol very urban areas.”
