• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • FAQ
  • Meet the Team
  • About The London Economic
  • Advertise
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
NEWSLETTER
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News World News

Gun-toting couple who waved weapons at non-violent protestors charged

Footage of Mark and Patricia McCloskey went viral during racial injustice protests last month.

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
July 21, 2020
in World News
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

A St Louis couple who brandished guns outside their home as non-violent protesters marched against racial injustice nearby have been charged by prosecutors.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey were charged on Monday with unlawful use of a weapon for displaying guns during a protest outside their mansion last month.

Footage of the white couple, who are both personal injury lawyers in their 60s, went viral amid worldwide Black Lives Matter protests.

St Louis’s top prosecutor, Kim Gardner, told The Associated Press the McCloskey’s actions risked creating a violent situation during an otherwise peaceful protest.

Wave weapons

“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner — that is unlawful in the city of St Louis,” Ms Gardner said.

A lawyer for the couple, Joel Schwartz, released a statement calling the decision to charge the couple “disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed”.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey
Footage of the McCloskeys went viral (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP)

Supporters of the McCloskeys said the couple were legally defending their home.

RelatedPosts

‘Donald J Trump ain’t going anywhere’ – Trump remains the dominant force at US conservative conference

US implicates Saudi crown prince in journalist’s killing as 40% of UK arms exports sold to country

‘Thank you everyone’ – Man leaves church after years in sanctuary to avoid deportation

Germans are refusing the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

Ms Gardner is recommending a diversion program such as community service rather than jail time if the McCloskeys are convicted, although the charge can bring sentences of up to four years in prison.

Several Republican leaders have condemned Ms Gardner’s investigation, including President Donald Trump, Missouri governor Mike Parson and senator Josh Hawley, who has urged Attorney General William Barr to undertake a civil rights investigation of Ms Gardner.

Mr Parson said in a radio interview on Friday that he would likely pardon the couple if they were charged and convicted.

Ms Gardner said Mr Trump, Mr Parson and others were attacking her to distract from “their failed approach to the Covid-19 pandemic” and other issues.

Kim Gardner
St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner says the McCloskeys committed a crime in brandishing their guns during the non-violent protest (Jim Salter/AP)

The McCloskeys’ home was initially incidental to the demonstration on June 28.

Several hundred people were marching to the home of Democratic Mayor Lyda Krewson, a few blocks from the McCloskeys’ home. Ms Krewson had angered activists by reading on Facebook Live the names and addresses of some who had called for defunding police.

The McCloskeys live on a private street called Portland Place. A police report said the couple heard a loud commotion and saw a large group of people break an iron gate marked with “No Trespassing” and “Private Street” signs. One protest leader said the gate was open and protesters did not damage it.

Mr McCloskey confronted protesters with a semi-automatic rifle, screamed at them and pointed the weapon at them, according to a probable statement from police officer Curtis Burgdorf.

The statement said Mrs McCloskey then emerged with a semi-automatic handgun, yelling at protesters to “go” and pointing the gun at them.

Finger on trigger

Protesters feared “being injured due to Patricia McCloskey’s finger being on the trigger, coupled with her excited demeanour”, the statement said.

No shots were fired.

Photos emerged as memes on both sides of the gun debate.

Mr Trump spoke by phone with Parson last week to criticise Gardner’s investigation.

Related – America: The lost superpower

Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending fromTLE

  • All
  • trending

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

Stress, fear and homelessness: The threat looming over families confronted with eviction

File photo dated 07/11/03 of a prison cell.

The Other Prison Pandemic

Latest from TLE

Image by AdobeStock

Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index for London, Monday 1 March 2021

Stocks In 2021

Watch – After billions spent on test and trace Sunak says people ‘trust us with their money’

Credit;PA

Doctor appears in court video call for traffic violation while performing surgery

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: jack@thelondoneconomic.com

Commercial enquiries, please contact: advertise@thelondoneconomic.com

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech & Auto
  • About The London Economic
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy policy

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.