UK Edition
St Louis braces for third night of violence after acquittal of former police officer over death of black suspect
Police in St Louis are bracing for a third day of violent protests following the acquittal of a white former police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man.
A day earlier, officers arrested nine people as demonstrators broke windows and threw missiles at police. Trouble flared for the first time on Friday when hundreds of protesters took to the streets chanting, “Black lives matter,” after Jason Stockley, 36, was acquitted of murdering Anthony Lamar Smith, 24.
Mr Stockley, a police officer at the time, was recorded saying, "Gonna kill this [expletive], don't you know it," while in a car chase after Mr Smith.
It is the latest flashpoint in America’s troubled history of race relations. Three years ago, the nearby city of Ferguson erupted in a week of clashes after Michael Brown was shot dead by a police officer, catapulting the Black Lives Matter movement to global prominence.
In St Louis, more than 33 protesters were arrested and 11 police officers were injured during scuffles on Friday night.
A day later, protesters returned for largely peaceful demonstrations.
However, a small number stayed on after organisers left, blocking the streets and refusing police orders to disperse.
Hundreds of officers in riot gear moved in with armoured vehicles. Retreating protesters used rubbish bins to smash widows and hurled bottles, stones and other projectiles at police.
Sam Thomas, who was helping his friend clean up the glass from the shattered windows of his clothes shop, OSO, said he understood the anger directed at a rigged justice system.
“I'm not saying this is the right way to fix it,” he told the Associated Press of the damage.
“The window isn’t murdered. Nobody is going to have a funeral for the window. We can replace it.”
Smith’s death is one of several high-profile cases in which a white officer shot dead a black suspect.
The suspected drug dealer died after fleeing from officers trying to arrest him.
Stockley, 36, testified he felt he was in danger because he saw Smith holding a silver revolver when the suspect backed his car toward officers and sped away.
But prosecutors allege that Stockley planted a gun in Smith’s car after the shooting, and presented evidence that the officer’s DNA was on the weapon but his victim’s was not.
The demonstrations forced the Irish rock band U2 to cancel a concert on Saturday night after police said they would not be able to guarantee security. Ed Sheeran followed suit, cancelling a Sunday performance.