St. Louis couple who waved guns at BLM protesters, fined and forced to surrender their guns

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple, who pointed and waved guns at people protesting near their home have agreed to surrender their guns as part of a guilty plea to misdemeanor charges, according to court documents obtained from the city of St. Louis, reported CNN. The couple made headlines when they were seen on video holding guns outside their mansion and pointing them at protesters who were walking on a private street toward the home of the St. Louis mayor in June 2020. The incident happened at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. Mark McCloskey also faces a $750 fine for waving guns in the direction of the crowd. 

Demonstrators were protesting the then-Mayor Lyda Krewson's decision to publish the names and addresses of people who were in favor of police reform. As the protesters walked past the home of McCloskeys, the couple came out of their home with guns. Mark McCloskey was seen holding a semi-automatic rifle while Patricia McCloskey waved a handgun at demonstrators. The couple defended their actions claiming they were "in imminent fear they (protesters) would run me over, kill me." According to The Washington Post, Legal experts said that the Second Amendment right to possess a gun does not necessarily allow an individual to brandish it at another person.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who filed the charges against the McCloskeys, last year, said she was stunned to see "peaceful protesters met with guns and a violent assault." She filed charges against the couple for threatening protesters. "We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated,” said Gardner.

As per documents, Mark McCloskey "purposely placed at least one person in apprehension of immediate physical injury" by waving a semi-automatic rifle at the passing crowd in front of his home. Mark McCloskey, a St. Louis lawyer was charged with unlawful use of a firearm and tampering with physical evidence, reported Yahoo News. He pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault while Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment and must pay a $2,000 fine, according to court documents. The couple will face no jail time. Initially, the cops had claimed the McCloskeys were “victims” of trespassing and assault because the protesters were accused of breaking into the gated neighborhood.

He also released a statement on Thursday stating that he wouldn't change his actions if he found himself in a similar situation again. "The prosecutor dropped all charges against me, except for a claim that I put other people in imminent fear of physical harm. That's exactly what I did, that's what the guns were for," he said, as he surrenders the weapons used on the day. “Any time the mob approaches me, I’ll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that’s what kept them from destroying my house and my family,” he said.

The couple became popular in the wake of the incident and even made a virtual appearance in the Republic National Committee convention in the run up to the Presidntial election. Mark McCloskey falsely claimed at the convention that Democrats wanted to "abolish" the suburbs. He also went on to announce a run for US Senate last month and will be contesting the Senate seat held by Republican Roy Blunt, who confirmed in March he will not be seeking reelection next year. McCloskey faces stiff competition in hsi run for the US seat. "I will never back down to the liberal mob in the Senate, and I will always stand strong for Missouri," said McCloskey added in a statement after announcing his decision to run for Senate.