Meanwhile, the presence of a group of heavily armed white men in Ferguson is sparking controversy. The Oath Keepers consists largely of former and current law enforcement and military personnel who say they are upholding the U.S. Constitution. During the protests, a Ferguson resident spoke about the presence of the Oath Keepers on the streets.

Ferguson resident: “You and people who look like you, white males, have the sovereignty to take advantage of the Second Amendment and walk around with assault rifles, but we can’t even like stand out here and assemble peacefully and exercise our constitutional right to do so without being gassed, maced and arrested.”