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From FB (a woman who was there):
"The events of last night’s protest in St. Louis have gone viral, resulting in a variety of news stories and internet memes. As someone who was present, I want to respond to fallacies that have made their way into the news.
In response to a recent action by the mayor of St. Louis (see next post), activists in the city targeted the St. Louis neighborhood known as the Central West End, where the mayor lives. The congregation I serve is located in the Central West End as well - and has been since 1917. The Central West End, once visible proof of suburban white flight with many abandoned and neglected buildings, is now an urban hot spot in the city with increasing development and trendy shops and restaurants.
As a minister serving in the Central West End, and as a participant in recent protests within the city, I attended last night’s protest as well. The event began at a major business intersection of the Central West End. It then moved onto Kingshighway, a main north-south thoroughfare of the city. After stopping traffic at two intersections, the protest then moved north on Kingshighway, passing gated communities on either side of the street. I was on the western edge of the street when a participant began trying door handles of the side gates on various streets. The gates to these streets are characterized by large ironwork double gates for cars to pass through and small side gates for people to pass through. Several of the gates were locked, when on one street, the gate opened.
Upon realizing they could access this gated community, protest organizers encouraged the majority of protestors to continue north on Kingshighway and for a smaller group to pass through the gate into the private community. To be very clear here - the gate was unlocked and the protestors had to pass through the opening single file. The protest split, the larger group continuing to move north and a smaller group gathering at the gate to pass through. I remained stationary on Kingshighway, just north of the gate. As people passed through the gate organizers directed protestors to stay on the street and off of people’s lawns. A bit of a bottle neck formed at the gate but then word filtered back that the residents of the first house on the street were standing on their front porch pointing guns at protestors.
Upon hearing this, I headed one block north to the church where members and staff were waiting. Three years prior police responded to a protest at the mayor’s house by kettling participants and spraying them with tear gas. The church was prepared with food, water, masks and hand sanitizer on the chance that police would respond similarly. Upon hearing that residents were brandishing guns at protestors, security in the area, including police in two unmarked SUVs across from the church, chose not to respond.
The main phalanx of the protest turned and traveled down the street in front of the church and then around the corner to the mayor’s house where they proceeded to sing, chant, and make speeches before sitting down and occupying the street. This was not a “peaceful” protest. It was loud and it was disruptive. And throughout the five plus hours of protest it was non-violent - as evidenced by more than one neighbor who came out on the street and watched the protest while holding a drink. Chants included statements such as “If we don’t get no justice, they don’t get no peace,” “Black Lives Matter,” “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” and “Respect Us or Expect Us!”
The couple that responded to protestors with guns are two wealthy and powerful attorneys. They are telling a story that includes a mob of protestors breaking down and destroying a wrought iron gate, brandishing weapons, and threatening to kill them. Their account is simply not true. What did happen is that two privileged people had their complacency disrupted and responded with violence. What did happen is that two white people threatened a group of non-violent black people with guns and the police chose not to respond. The public outrage over the actions of this couple is gratifying. The memes are amusing. But y’all, I invite you to think instead of all the times someone called the cops to report a person of color with a gun and they DID respond. Tamir Rice’s 18th birthday was last Thursday. May he rest in power." - Kim Mason, Minister at First Unitarian Church of St. Louis
