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Police officers in St Louis chant after breaking up protests | Police officers in St Louis chant after breaking up protests |
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Police officers in riot gear gathered alongside a St Louis boulevard late on Sunday night, chanting “whose street, our street”, a common refrain used by those protesting the acquittal of a white former officer in the death of a black man, after successfully clearing the street of demonstrators and onlookers. | Police officers in riot gear gathered alongside a St Louis boulevard late on Sunday night, chanting “whose street, our street”, a common refrain used by those protesting the acquittal of a white former officer in the death of a black man, after successfully clearing the street of demonstrators and onlookers. |
Hundreds of officers had mobilized after another day of peaceful protests over the acquittal of Jason Stockley in the death of Anthony Lamar Smith. The protest began at the police headquarters downtown. Hundreds of people marched through downtown streets, the posh Central West End and the trendy Delmar Loop area of nearby University City. | |
Protesters also marched through two shopping malls in a wealthy area of St Louis County. Following the pattern of the previous days, more than 1,000 people marched peacefully for several hours. By nightfall, most had gone home. | |
After nightfall there were reports of property damage and vandalism for a third night in a row. Several windows were broken at a Marriott hotel and at other nearby businesses. Concrete planters were knocked over and trash cans tossed into the street. | |
There were also reports from demonstrators of aggressive responses from police, including the macing and violent takedowns of compliant demonstrators. | |
Police made more than 80 arrests, after authorities said people ignored orders to disperse after the peaceful protests. Demonstrators countered that police boxed them in, giving them no way to disperse. At least one credentialed reporter and several members of the public who were live-streaming the protests were detained. | |
The St Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Mayor Lyda Krewson told reporters early on Monday: “The days have been calm and the nights have been destructive.” Krewson said that was “unacceptable” and that “destruction cannot be tolerated”. | |
City police described being attacked by protesters using “unknown chemicals”. Demonstrators countered that the liquid some carried in bottles was apple cider vinegar, which some use to counter the affects of tear gas. In one picture posted to social media by police and described as an effort to “confiscate bottles with unknown chemicals”, one bottle was clearly labelled “apple cider vinegar”. | |
One officer suffered a leg injury and was taken to a hospital. His condition was not known. | |
On Monday, daylight brought calm, as it has for the past several days. A racially mixed crowd of more than 150 blocked a busy street on the western edge of downtown. State representative Bruce Franks was at the front of a silent march to city hall. Protesters chanted: “We will win together.” The assembly voiced demands for a civilian police review board and then disbanded. | |
“The action today is now over,” Franks said. “Let’s leave as a family.” | |
A judge ruled on Friday that Stockley, a 36-year-old who left the St Louis department and moved to Houston three years ago, was not guilty in the 2011 death of Smith. Smith fled from Stockley and his partner as they tried to arrest him for a suspected drug deal. Stockley testified he felt endangered after he saw Smith holding a silver revolver when he backed his car toward the officers and sped away. | |
Prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun in Smith’s car after the shooting. The officer’s DNA was on the weapon but Smith’s wasn’t. Dashcam video from Stockley’s cruiser recorded him saying he was “going to kill this motherfucker”. He shot Smith five times. | |
Stockley’s lawyer dismissed the comment as “human emotions” during a dangerous pursuit. St Louis circuit judge Timothy Wilson, who said prosecutors didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Stockley murdered Smith, said the statement could be ambiguous. | Stockley’s lawyer dismissed the comment as “human emotions” during a dangerous pursuit. St Louis circuit judge Timothy Wilson, who said prosecutors didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Stockley murdered Smith, said the statement could be ambiguous. |
Protest organizers said they were frustrated that a few people who have caused trouble at night could make it harder to spread their message. Franks, a Democrat, said those who are violent “are not protesters” but a group separate from those marching in organized demonstrations. | |
Protest organizer Anthony Bell said that while he believes change is made through peaceful protests, years of oppression has caused some to turn violent. “I do not say the demonstrators are wrong, but I believe peaceful demonstrations are the best,” Bell said. | |
The protests have followed a pattern borne of months of angry and sometimes violent protests after the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson. The majority of demonstrators are law-abiding. As the night wears on, a subsection emerges, more willing to confront police. | |
Many protesters believe police provoked demonstrators by showing up in riot gear and armored vehicles. Police said they had no choice but to protect themselves. | |
Democratic representative Michael Butler said police should target the agitators and allow others to continue demonstrating. He protested on Friday, and after that said police have been doing a poor job of identifying bad actors in the crowds. | Democratic representative Michael Butler said police should target the agitators and allow others to continue demonstrating. He protested on Friday, and after that said police have been doing a poor job of identifying bad actors in the crowds. |
“There’s not been any learning from Ferguson,” he said. |