Assaulting police officers is a pretty bad idea.
It’s an especially poor decision when they’re decked out in riot gear, and are not in the mood to have rocks and bricks thrown at them.
Protesters in St. Louis just found that out the hard way, as the unrest following officer Jason Stockley’s “not guilty” verdict spread through the Missouri city on Friday.
According to KTVI News, numerous violent protesters found themselves with faces full of pepper spray, while others ended up in handcuffs.
“Hundreds of protesters are marching through city streets,” KTVI reported. “A smaller group stood in front of a city bus filled with officers in riot gear, blocking it from moving forward.”
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Police were patient for a few minutes, but the rioters didn’t get the message.
“The bus backed up and protesters again tried to stop it, with a few throwing water bottles. The bus moved less than a block before police in riot gear began pushing back the crowd,” continued the report.
Photos on social media showed dejected protesters dealing with pepper stray and acting confused about the fact that rioting might have consequences.
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“Maced by police. He doesn’t know why,” NowThis producer Lucy Biggers posted on Twitter.
“Maybe because they are breaking the law?” another user helpfully replied.
Throughout the violent evening, the St. Louis police updated the public on social media and made it very clear that free speech and violence were not the same thing. (It seems like Americans used to know these things without the cops having to tell us.)
“While we support all first amendment rights, violence & destruction of property is not free speech. Violators subject to arrest,” explained the department’s official Twitter account.
Peacefully demonstrating and speaking out is protected by the First Amendment… but once groups of rioters begin attacking officers and shutting down streets, all bets are off.
Violence should not be tolerated, and it’s about time that these out-of-control agitators found out that actions have consequences. The streets of St. Louis are not “safe spaces” to break the law.
https://conservativetribune.com/protesters-assault-st-louis-cops/