St. Louis White Couple Charged with Felony for Pointing Guns at BLM Protesters

Felony charges have been filed against a St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters marching past their home last month. On June 28th, the couple brandished their guns and yelled at several Black Lives Matter protestors who were marching through the wealthy St. Louis community.

Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged the couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, with unlawful use of a weapon, exhibiting. It is a Class E felony that carries a possible penalty of up to four years in prison.

“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest,” Garner said in a statement. “This type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis.” Rather than jail time, Gardner is recommending a diversion program such as community service if the McCloskeys are convicted.

The images and videos of Mark and Patricia McCloskey standing in front of their mansion, clutching their guns, flooded social media, and all major news outlets. The couple claims they feared for their lives and acted to protect their property. The incident caused heated debate over the rights and protections of protesters and the Second Amendment.

The governor of Missouri, Mike Parson, defended the McCloskeys and said he’d likely pardon the couple if they are charged and convicted. Other Republican leaders have supported the McCloskeys, including Senator Josh Hawley, who called for civil rights investigation into Ms. Gardner. President Trump also defended the couple and featured them at a virtual campaign event.

The Circuit Attorney’s Office responded to Sen. Hawley’s attacks on Twitter, saying that it was “baseless” and that Circuit Attorney “would not be bullied by a US senator or anyone else.”

Read our previous coverage of this incident and sign a petition to disbar Mark and Patricia McCloskey.

Sign petitions for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery, and Support organizations like Black Lives Matter, Color for Change, and the NAACP.

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, don’t forget to download the Food Monster App on iTunes — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!