Protests likely to follow Ferguson grand jury decision, FBI warns

FERGUSON, Miss. (KABC) -- The Ferguson police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown touched off days of violent protests. Law enforcement officials fear more unrest could follow the grand jury announcement.

Three protesters were arrested Thursday night outside Ferguson police headquarters for the second night in a row as the community anxiously waits to learn if Officer Darren Wilson will be charged in Brown's shooting death.

Michael Brown Sr., the slain teenager's father, released a video urging protesters to remain peaceful when the grand jury's decision is handed down.

"Hurting others or destroying property is not the answer," Brown said in the video released by the group STL Forward. "No matter what the grand jury decides, I don't want my son's death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone."

Attorney General Eric Holder released his own video Friday, explaining that the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has provided law enforcement officials with new guidelines on how to keep the community safe, while allowing protesters to exercise their Constitutional rights.

"The Justice Department encourages law enforcement officers in every jurisdiction to work with the communities that they serve to minimize needless confrontation," Holder said.

His video message did not explicitly mention Ferguson, but it did reference demonstrations over the past few months that have "sought to bring attention to real and significant underlying issues involving police practices."

"I know from firsthand experience that demonstrations like these have the potential to spark a sustained and positive national dialogue, to provide momentum to a necessary conversation and to bring about critical reform," Holder said in the video.

"But history has also shown us that the most successful and enduring movements for change are those that adhere to nonaggression and nonviolence," he added.

Ferguson's Police Chief Tom Jackson says his officers are trained and fully prepared for the unrest they're expecting once the grand jury releases their ruling.

"We're preparing for the worst, but we're really hoping that the leadership that's coming out to protest, if they do, is going to try to keep it peaceful," Jackson said.