Cornel West arrested in Ferguson protest

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis County police say civil rights activist Cornel West was among 13 people arrested during a protest at Ferguson police headquarters.

The former Princeton University professor has been in the St. Louis area for a weekend of protests, speeches and workshops designed to call attention to anger over police treatment of minorities.

West now teaches at New York’s Union Theological Seminary. He was arrested shortly before 1 p.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace.

County police said the protesters said they wanted to be arrested. Police said arrests were made after protesters began bumping officers’ shields and forced their way through the law enforcement skirmish line.

Ferguson is roiled by the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed, black 18-year-old, by a white officer.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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