Federal report faults police actions during Ferguson unrest

FERGUSON, Mo. — A Justice Department report summary has found across-the-board flaws in police's response last summer to the protests in Ferguson, including antagonizing crowds and violating free-speech rights.

The Associated Press obtained the summary, which cites "vague and arbitrary" orders to keep protesters moving that violated their rights of assembly and free speech.

It is part of a longer "after-action" report that looked at the way police in Ferguson, St. Louis city and county and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded in the first 16 days after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson officer last August.

Top police officials at those four agencies will receive the full report this week. Details of the report summary were first reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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