Couple aims guns at protesters marching to a Missouri mayor’s home, video shows

A couple in St. Louis pointed guns at protesters who were marching to the mayor’s home to urge her resignation on Sunday, video shows.

Roughly 300 protesters chanted “resign Lyda, take the cops with you” as they marched to Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home, demanding her resignation after she read the names of people who protested for police reform on a Facebook Live stream on Friday, KMOV reported.

Video of the march captured a couple who stepped outside a home and pointed guns at the crowd.

It circulated widely on social media Sunday evening, amassing more than 10 million views, 60,000 likes and 35,000 retweets on Twitter as of Monday, June 29.

The video shows a man with a rifle and a woman with a pistol standing outside a large residence, pointing their weapons at the crowd.

The couple and protesters appear to exchange words before voices are heard urging protesters to keep moving. The incident occurred on Portland Place, a private street in the city, Storyful reported.

President Donald Trump retweeted the video, posted by ABC News, on Monday morning.

The couple has been identified as Mark and Patricia McCloskey, both personal injury lawyers, Heavy reported.

John Amman, a St. Louis University lawyer, told KSDK that the pair’s actions could be considered assault by causing protesters to fear for their safety, according to the outlet.

If people feel threatened, they have a right to threaten the use of force, Amman told KSDK, but “if a group of protesters is walking by a home and not doing anything to the homeowners specifically, then they don’t have the right to threaten lethal force without an imminent threat,” according to the outlet.

This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 9:42 AM.