Spotlight: Gunbattle in Ferguson protests puts U.S. racial divide into renewed focus

The small U.S. town Ferguson, which was marred by the killing of an unarmed black teenager a year ago, grabbed the spotlight again as a state of emergency was declared for the city on Monday following gunbattle between police and protesters Sunday night.

A day of mostly peaceful rallies to mark the first anniversary of Michael Brown's death, was tainted by an exchange of gunfire in the crowd Sunday night, when officers shot and critically wounded a black 18-year-old called Tyrone Harris Jr.

Harris was charged with four counts of felony assault on law enforcement by the county prosecutors. His father, however, said his son was unarmed and innocent, according to U.S. media.

Media reports said at least three people were shot and dozens arrested overnight as Sunday's protests turned violent.

Ferguson, a town of just a little over 20,000 people, ignited a national firestorm on race relations a year ago after Brown was shot dead in a confrontation with a white police officer. The incident soon prompted a national debate over police treatment of minorities.

The shooting of Harris a year later, as hundreds of people gathered to commemorate the tragic slaying of Brown, worsened the already tense racial relations.

What led to Sunday's shooting was unclear. Although Harris was accused of opening fire on officers, it remains to be seen whether police reacted properly in the clash.

And it is no accident that some people question the police behavior in the exchange of fire Sunday night as a U.S. Justice Department report released in early March found systematic racism within the Ferguson Police Department.

While 65 percent of Ferguson's population is black, only 6 percent of the small Missouri town's police officers are black, BBC reported.

As a disgraced symbol on racial relations, Ferguson has once again drawn nationwide attention, reminding everyone in the powerful country of its prominent weakness.

Far beyond extreme cases like this, racial gap exists in many aspects of social life, depriving African-Americans of decent opportunities enjoyed by the whites.

Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor in July showed that unemployment rate remains far higher among the black population, with 9.1 percent for blacks, compared with 4.6 for whites.

A study released by Women Donors Network in July said 95 percent of the elected prosecutors in the United States are white, while only 4 percent are minority men and 1 percent are minority women.

As statistics show, racial disparity in the United States is institutional, and comprehensive efforts are needed to mend the widening gap.

The renewed unrest in Ferguson once again serves as a glaring reminder of the pressing issue. Without timely and appropriate reaction, violence like that would not cease to happen. Endi