The St. Louis city prosecutor announced an investigation into a married couple who brandished weapons as Black Lives Matter protesters descended upon their gated neighborhood.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, a Democrat, says she was “alarmed” by the viral video showing St. Louis homeowners Mark and Patricia McCloskey standing outside their house with guns in their hands after protesters bypassed a gate and entered their neighborhood.
“I am alarmed at the events that happened over the weekend, where peaceful protesters were met by guns and a violent assault,” Gardner said in a statement. “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.”
She continued, “My office is currently working with the public and the police to investigate these events. Make no mistake: We will not tolerate the use of force against those exercising their First Amendment rights, and will use the full power of Missouri law to hold people accountable.”
Statement from Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner in regards to events over weekend: pic.twitter.com/KqqFHIvL9Q
— Circuit Attorney (@stlcao) June 29, 2020
Gardner, who is currently up for reelection, has been criticized by her opponents for being lax on crime and for connections to liberal billionaire George Soros, also released a video statement on the matter.
Mark McCloskey appeared on Fox News with Tucker Carlson Wednesday night and said he was in fear for his life when he saw the “mob” approaching his house.
“When I saw that mob come through the gate with their rage and their anger, I thought that we would be overrun in a second,” he told Carlson.
“When I saw that mob come through the gate with their rage and their anger, I thought that we would be overrun in a second.”
Mark McCloskey opens up about he and his wife confronted protestors with firearms after a large crowd forced their way onto a private street. pic.twitter.com/8LmSKGS0y0
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 1, 2020
Later that night, McCloskey made an appearance on CNN with Chris Cuomo and engaged in a tense debate about racism and President Trump’s perceived opinion on the matter.
.@ChrisCuomo: @realDonaldTrump retweeted the video of the gun-toting couple in St. Louis because “he liked the image of white resistance to [the #BlackLivesMatter] movement.”
Mark McCloskey: “I’m glad you’re a mind reader because no one else thinks you are.” pic.twitter.com/CGboA5a9CN
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 1, 2020
Anders Walker, a constitutional law professor at St. Louis University, told local news that Missouri’s Castle Doctrine, which allows residents to use lethal force to remove intruders from their property, offers legal protection for the McCloskeys, according to the Hill.
“There’s no right to protest on those streets,” Walker explained. “The protesters thought they had a right to protest, but as a technical matter, they were not allowed to be there.”
He continued, “It’s essentially a private estate. If anyone was violating the law, it was the protesters. In fact, if the McCloskeys have photos of the protesters, they could go after them for trespassing.”
