USA TODAY: St. Louis braces for third day of protests after officer's acquittal

Shop owners and residents were cleaning up broken glass, assessing damage and bracing for more protests Sunday after two nights of violence sparked by the acquittal of a white former police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man.

St. Louis County police said they arrested nine people Saturday night and early Sunday in suburban University City, home to Washington University, one day after protests that turned violent led to 33 arrests in two St. Louis neighborhoods.

A protest was planned for Sunday afternoon at the police headquarters downtown.

The University City Police Department said 23 businesses and five police vehicles were damaged Saturday night when protesters hurled rocks, bricks, water bottles filled with paint thinner or gasoline and balloons filled with red liquid.

UCity PD requested assistance Saturday after peaceful protest turned violent when debris was thrown at officers,- county police tweeted early Sunday.

St. Louis Police Chief Lawrence O'Toole said the protests have been peaceful until after dark, when chaos has ensued.

Saturday night, some criminals decided to pick up rocks and break windows, - Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens said in a statement. They thought they’d get away with it. They were wrong. Our officers caught ‘em, cuffed ‘em, and threw ‘em in jail.

The protests began Friday after a judge cleared former St. Louis Metropolitan police officer Jason Stockley of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, 24, during a high-speed car chase. Judge Timothy Wilson ruled Stockley acted in self-defense.

The decision prompted demonstrations Friday that left 11 police officers injured. Authorities made 33 arrests that night.

Source: usatoday