Volunteers Clean Ferguson Streets after Nightly Riots

Volunteers have gathered in Ferguson, Missouri to clean the streets after nightly riots have been occurring, following the death of Michael Brown. The volunteers did not know one another, but felt inclined to try to put the town back together after it is dismantled with every protest. 

Erma Dupree, 55, has been driving from her home in St. Louis daily for over a week in an effort to help the town. 

“I clean up the streets for about three hours during the day. I don’t want to be around that area at night because of the tear gas being fired at the riots,” Dupree said.

Dupree says that she swept up “more broken glass than I’ve ever seen in my life.” She also found bullet shells, alcohol for Molotov cocktails and evidence of stolen merchandise in the wreckage. 

“You see it on TV, but you never imagine this will happen in front of your own door,” Dupree said.

Dupree said that the protests would affect the children in the town. And added that Michael Brown’s death is not an excuse for violating laws. 

“What they are doing is not fair to the Brown’s family,” Dupree said. 

Publication date: August 19, 2014