Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2025 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
African-Americans
Which Lives Matter?: Fresh St. Louis Protests over Acquittal of Accused Killer

Which Lives Matter?: Fresh St. Louis Protests over Acquittal of Accused Killer

contributors 09/17/2017

Tweet
Share
Reddit
Email

By TeleSur | – –

Saturday’s demonstrations were markedly calmer after nearly three dozen people were arrested the day before.

Protests have continued for a second day in St. Louis, Missouri following the acquittal of former cop Jason Stockley, who had been charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011.

Hundreds of demonstrators shouted slogans such as “Black lives matter!” and “It is our duty to fight for our freedom!” as they circled the city’s most populous areas such as the Delmar Loop in suburb of University City, which is known for its concert venues, restaurants, shops and bars.

“I don’t think racism is going to change in America until people get uncomfortable,” said Kayla Reed of the St. Louis Action Council, a protest organizer, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“Not saying or doing anything makes you complicit in the brutalization of our friends and neighbors,” said Susanna Prins, who carried a “White silence is violence” banner during the protests.

Saturday’s demonstrations were markedly calmer after nearly three dozen people were arrested the day before, mostly for failure to disperse, resisting and interfering.

The protests had heated up Friday night with hundreds taking to the streets, prompting the National Guard to be on standby, and shutting down several businesses, schools and banks early.

More protests are expected Sunday. Events, including concerts by Ed Sheeran and U2 have been cancelled because police say they cannot provide aqequate security resources given the levels of unrest.

Former Officer Stockley had pleaded not guilty, saying he had acted in self defense during the December 2011 incident, while prosecutors had accused him of planting a gun on Smith to justify the shooting.

The revolver found at the scene only showed the officer’s DNA.

However, Wilson ruled that based on “nearly thirty years on the bench … an urban heroin dealer not in possession of a firearm would be an anomaly,” concluding that Smith had been the owner of the firearm, and referencing the drug found in Smith’s car.

Numerous studies have revealed the disproportionate times that Black people are targeted and killed by police in the United States compared to whites.

Via TeleSur

—–

Related video added by Juan Cole:

St. Louis erupts in protests after officer is acquitted of killing unarmed black man

Filed Under: African-Americans, Rights

Primary Sidebar

Support Independent Journalism

Click here to donate via PayPal.

Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at:

Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548
USA
(Remember, make the checks out to “Juan Cole” or they can’t be cashed)

STAY INFORMED

Join our newsletter to have sharp analysis delivered to your inbox every day.
Warning! Social media will not reliably deliver Informed Comment to you. They are shadowbanning news sites, especially if "controversial."
To see new IC posts, please sign up for our email Newsletter.

Social Media

Bluesky | Instagram

Popular

  • Top Things You Still Think You Know About Iran that are Not True
  • Why Trump Bombed Iran: Preserving US and Israeli Nuclear Supremacy in the Middle East
  • Colonial Logic, not Jewish Wisdom Guides Israel's Wars
  • The Current Iran War will Likely end Soon, but the Arms Race will Heat Up
  • Trump's contravention of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal Led to Israel-Iran Escalation

Gaza Yet Stands


Juan Cole's New Ebook at Amazon. Click Here to Buy
__________________________

Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires



Click here to Buy Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


Click here to Buy The Rubaiyat.
Sign up for our newsletter

Informed Comment © 2025 All Rights Reserved