‘It was like the storming of the Bastille, the gate came down and a large crowd of angry, aggressive people poured through. I was terrified that we’d be murdered within seconds. Our house would be burned down, our pets would be killed.’
The couple heard the sound of a crowd coming toward their home. The husband had called 911 before the couple grabbed their weapons to stand guard until the police arrived. His wife also pointed a handgun at the protesters as they moved past.
The group was headed toward the St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s (D) home to demand her resignation. Mr. McCloskey yelled at the protesters, which certainly did nothing to defuse the situation.
McCloskey continued speaking as he shared photos of how their gate had been destroyed:
‘A mob of at least 100 smashed through the historic wrought iron gates of Portland Place, destroying them, rushed towards my home where my family was having dinner outside and put us in fear for our lives.’
Then, videos began circulating on the net showing the protesters as they opened and went through the gate, which was intact. There was no direct evidence of who damaged the gate or when.
No shots were fired.
The St. Louis couple said that they had been getting death threats from members of the protest:
‘One fellow standing right in front of me pulled out two pistol magazines, clicked them together and said you’re next. That was the first death threat we got that night.’
The couple’s attorney said that the McCloskeys support the Black Lives Matter movement:
‘[P]eaceful protesters were not the subject of scorn or disdain by the McCloskeys. To the contrary, they were expecting and supportive of the message of the protesters.’
The statement continued:
“Both Mr. and Mrs. McCloskey acted lawfully on their property which sits on a private gated lane in the City of St. Louis. Their actions were borne solely of fear and apprehension, the genesis of which was not race related. In fact, the agitators responsible for the trepidation were white.’
The attorney added:
‘The Black Lives Matters movement is here to stay, it is the right message, and it is about time, The McCloskeys want to make sure no one thinks less of BLM, its message and the means it is employing to get its message out because of the actions of a few white individuals who tarnished a peaceful protest.’
One of the protest’s organizers Rasheen Aldridge said the protest organized by a group named Expect Us was peaceful, and “no one made any threats.” When he was asked, about the protesters walking on private property, claimed:
‘Just like in many disobedient protests, even in the 60s, you break laws, make people feel uncomfortable. We’re not doing anything where we’re hurting anyone or putting anyone in danger.’
A St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Kim Garner, said that the incident is under investigation. Garner continued, saying that the protesters should not have to worry about a violent response. She tweeted:
‘I am alarmed at the events that occurred over the weekend, where peaceful protesters were met by guns and a violent assault. We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated.’
According to KMOV4, Gardner was also referring to an investigation into the Saturday incident. The personal injury attorneys said that Forman was picked up after the driver of a car hijacked it. A chase ensued through five cities. Then, Forman got out of the car with his hands in the air and then onto the ground.
At that point, one of the officers kicked him in his head and his leg.
A petition has been started calling for the couple’s disbarment for “aggravated assault with deadly weapons.” In addition, it claimed:
‘Patricia McCloskey is part of the Board of Election Commissioners and asks people to contact the organization, but late Monday night the Board of Election Commissioners said the couple is not connected to the organization.’
The march was protesting St. Louis Mayor Krewson for reading some of the letters sent to her calling for defunding the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The problem was that she included the “names and both partial and full addresses” of the senders. Later she issued an apology but refused to step down:
‘An online petition demanding Krewson’s resignation has gained more than 40,000 signatures. Those calling for her to step down say she doxed people by reading those letters, meaning she made private or identifying information public on the internet with malicious intent.’
Her statement read:
‘Tonight, I would like to apologize for identifying individuals who presented letters to me at City Hall as I was answering a routine question during one of my updates earlier today. While this is public information, I did not intend to cause distress or harm to anyone. The post has been removed and again, I sincerely apologize.’
Congressman Lacy Clay released the following statement:
“The rights of non-violent protestors are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and should never be subject to the threat of deadly force, whether by individuals or by the police.’
Clay ended with:
‘The incident which occurred last night on Portland Place was shameful, irresponsible, and could have easily ended in another tragedy. The young Americans who are on the streets in St. Louis and across the nation deserve constitutional policing and a government that is as good as they are. I stand with them.’
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
