The hashtag used most broadly to discuss the 2014 Ferguson protests was #Ferguson. It became a central label for breaking news, eyewitness reports, photographs, and commentary about the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.
The protests began after Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. Demonstrations and unrest followed in Ferguson and then spread nationally, prompting debate about police use of force, racial inequality, militarized policing, and the treatment of journalists and protesters.
#Ferguson was not the only hashtag connected with the events. Users also posted #MichaelBrown, #MikeBrown, #BlackLivesMatter, and slogans such as #HandsUpDontShoot. Those tags highlighted particular people, movements, or protest messages, while #Ferguson served as the broad location-and-event label and was the most commonly used tag in early Twitter discussions.
The hashtag also helped turn local reporting into a global conversation. Social media users shared live updates directly from the streets, sometimes challenging or supplementing the accounts provided by police and traditional news organizations.