More than 80 people were arrested Sunday night in St. Louis as more protesters took to the streets in the wake of the acquittal of white police officer Jason Stockley, who shot and killed a black driver, Anthony Lamar Smith, in 2011. A peaceful gathering of more than 1,000 protesters outside police headquarters in the afternoon and a later march was followed by another march of about 100 protesters through the streets in the evening. Those demonstrators caused minor property damage and confronted police. From the Associated Press:
Along the way, they knocked over planters, broke windows at a few shops and hotels, and scattered plastic chairs at an outdoor venue. According to police, the demonstrators then sprayed bottles with an unknown substance on officers. One officer suffered a leg injury and was taken to a hospital. His condition wasn’t known. Soon afterward, buses brought in additional officers in riot gear, and police scoured downtown deep into the night, making arrests and seizing at least five weapons, according to [Interim Police Chief] O’Toole.
Multiple witnesses reported that police shouted the now-ubiquitous protest chant “Whose streets? Our streets!” as they made their arrests. At least one Twitter user appeared to capture the chant on video.
The St. Louis police department also took to Twitter to post pictures of property damage, officers being “decontaminated” after having substances thrown on them, and items and weapons confiscated during the night’s protest. Missouri is an open-carry state.
The account did not tweet pictures of Sunday’s earlier protest.
