St. Louis: Protests erupt after white officer acquitted in fatal shooting of black man

[nitpicker]

Source: DW

Demonstrators have clashed with police in St. Louis following the acquittal of ex-officer Jason Stockley in the fatal shooting Anthony Lamar Smith. Two officers have been hospitalized after being hit with bricks.

Several officers were wounded and dozens of protestors were arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, Friday night in scenes reminiscent of the racially charged unrest that erupted in nearby Ferguson in 2014.

What started as peaceful protests over the acquittal of white ex-police officer Jason Stockley in the fatal shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, a black man, quickly escalated when demonstrators broke a window and splattered paint over St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house. That prompted riot police to respond by dispersing the crowd with tear gas and armored vehicles. Meanwhile, video footage posted online showed police dousing at least five protestors with pepper spray outside the courthouse where Stockley was acquitted.

Ahead of the ruling, activists had threatened civil obedience, including possible efforts to shut down highways, if Stockley were not convicted. One group of protestors tried to climb onto one of the highways but were block by police. Another group cut off an intersection by sitting down silently in the middle of the street.
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Read more: http://www.dw.com/en/st-louis-protests-erupt-after-white-officer-acquitted-in-fatal-shooting-of-black-man/a-40536707

[brooklynite]

1. UPDATE: 9 officers injured in day of protests downtown and in Central West End, mayor's home damaged

St.Louis Post-Dispatch:

ST. LOUIS • About 1,000 protesters surrounded the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson in the Central West End late Friday, breaking at least two windows and throwing red paint at the brick house before some 200 police in riot gear moved in to break it up.

There was no indication on the scene that Krewson was in the home at the time.

A total of nine police officers had been reported injured as of 9 p.m., including one officer with a dislocated shoulder and an officer with a possible broken jaw, Acting Police Chief Lawrence O'Toole said shortly after midnight Saturday, appearing with Krewson in a video. A Highway Patrol trooper was also reported injured.