Several protesters taken into custody in Ferguson
By JIM SALTER and TOM FOREMAN Jr., Associated Press
Nov 28, 2014 11:05 PM CST
About 200 people demonstrate at a plaza near the historic water tower, located along Chicago's Michigan Avenue, on Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, in Chicago. The protestors called on people to boycott shopping on Black Friday as a show of solidarity with protesters in Ferguson Missouri. At one point the demonstrator...   (Associated Press)

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Several protesters have been taken into custody during a demonstration in Ferguson outside of the police department.

Tensions escalated late Friday during an initially calm demonstration after police said protesters were illegally blocking West Florissant Avenue.

The exact number of arrests was not immediately clear, and spokesmen for the Ferguson Police Department and St. Louis County Police could not immediately be reached.

The demonstration in Ferguson came after protesters earlier in the day temporarily shut down three large malls in suburban St. Louis.

Protests have been ongoing for days in Ferguson after a grand jury's recent decision not to indict the police officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Chicago, New York, Seattle and northern California also saw demonstrations Friday.

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