St. Louis violent protests continue after ex-cop's acquittal
A second night of violent protests gripped the St. Louis area Saturday as angry people took to the streets in response to a judge's Friday decision to acquit former police officer Jason Stockley, who shot and killed a black motorist, Anthony Lamar Smith, in 2011. A few dozen demonstrators attacked riot police and shattered windows of local businesses. Nine people were arrested, The Associated Press reports.
Sam Thomas, who helped clean up some of the smashed windows, told the AP he could understand the protesters' frustrations. "I'm not saying this is the right way to fix it," he said. "The window isn't murdered. Nobody is going to have a funeral for the window. We can replace it."
The violence followed a day of relatively peaceful protests by roughly 300 people, who shouted "black lives matter" and "no justice, no profits." Similar violent protests erupted Friday, and more than 30 people were arrested. Rock band U2 and musician Ed Sheeran both canceled planned St. Louis performances due to security concerns.
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Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
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