Several dozen of the hundreds gathered at the demonstrations turned to looting and destruction — causing a chaotic and confusing late night and early morning scene in a town that just on Thursday seemed more prepared for healing and community building than for violence and destruction. They were joined by others who took advantage of the chaos to clean out the inventory of a half-dozen local businesses.

Riot police and military-stye vehicles were once again called onto West Florissant Street after a calm, festive Thursday night. But unlike previous nights when police and demonstrators clashed, the police made no serious attempt to disperse the crowd using heavy handed crowd-control tactics.

The State Highway Patrol officer in charge of the scene told the Associated Press that tear gas was used to stop demonstrators who were throwing objects at police but the riot police largely kept back from direct engagement.

Protesters have taken to the streets for six consecutive nights in reaction to the shooting death of an unarmed 18-year-old man named Michael Brown. Brown was killed last Saturday in a confrontation with a Ferguson officer named Darren Wilson.

I predict that tonight's rioting will be even worse as the ranks of looters will swell following last night's success.

With the cops standing aside, Ferguson will be lucky if the downtown business district isn't burned to the ground. Better that than the delicate sensibilities of the rioters and looters be offended by "heavy handed" police tactics.