As Twitchy reported earlier, all of the major media outlets splashed headlines Monday about an armed couple in St. Louis brandishing their weapons at “peaceful protesters” who were just “passing by.”
Chilling moment white couple pull guns on peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters https://t.co/lNcBxGAI9t pic.twitter.com/hxHu3WRJlN
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 29, 2020
What the story leaves out is the peaceful protesters broke through an iron gate clearly marked “Private Street: No Trespassing” and then approached the couple on their private property, and Missouri has a “castle doctrine” that gives citizens the right to protect their property from trespassers. You might have read a story or two about peaceful protesters who turned out to be not so peaceful.
Tom Gara reports that police are investigating the incident and think they have a case of “fourth-degree assault by intimidation” — by the protesters.
Police investigating the St Louis incident are considering it a case of "fourth-degree assault by intimidation" — by the protesters. https://t.co/DhxX8bEkEe
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) June 29, 2020
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch further reports:
Anders Walker, a constitutional law professor at St. Louis University, said that although it’s “very dangerous” to engage protesters with guns, the homeowners broke no laws by brandishing or pointing weapons at them because Portland Place is a private street. He said they are legally protected by Missouri’s Castle Doctrine, which allows people to use deadly force to defend private property.
“The protesters thought they had a right to protest,” Walker said. “But as a technical matter, they were not allowed to be there … It’s essentially a private estate. If anyone was violating the law, it was the protesters. In fact if (the McCloskeys) have photos of the protesters, they could go after them for trespassing.”
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We doubt the McCloskeys have photos — they were the ones being photographed by all of the protesters on their lawn.
("the homeowners broke no laws by brandishing or pointing weapons at them because Portland Place is a private street. He said they are legally protected by Missouri's Castle Doctrine, which allows people to use deadly force to defend private property.")
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) June 29, 2020
HELL YES. https://t.co/m9EsLifGT1
— RBe (@RBPundit) June 29, 2020
Phenomenal! Now they need to follow through with it.
— Loren (@LorenSethC) June 29, 2020
Good. pic.twitter.com/l8mqfK08WG
— Rowan Wright (@RowanWright6) June 29, 2020
It doesn't look like the pacific way to enter anywhere… pic.twitter.com/U1MCLfv4oe
— Gus Dreyer (@gustavodreyer) June 29, 2020
That’s what we call “mostly peaceful.” We’re super sorry to paint all protesters will a broad brush, but seeing all the property they’ve vandalized over the last week, we can understand why you wouldn’t welcome them at your front door.
Very nice. The rule of law matters.
— Max Nordau (@MaxNordau) June 29, 2020
— BMP (@BlMarketParade) June 29, 2020
It’s his house!
— David Van Vranken (@DavidVranken) June 29, 2020
They stopped being 'protesters' once they entered private property.
There's no right to protest on someone else's land.
— Athena (@1trueathena) June 29, 2020
How many rounds do you need to fire to defend your home from a mob?
Turns out none, just as long as the mob believes you when you say you would.
— Andrew?????? (@AndrewRealName) June 29, 2020
I can hear the whining just starting and I have no popcorn.
— Passable Gamer (@GamerPassable) June 29, 2020
That fits the facts as we know them, yes.
— Prof. Mark Youngkin (@mayoungkin) June 29, 2020
Alternative history thought experiment: imagine these two had not been armed. What would’ve happened to their house? What do you think would’ve happened to them? And what angle would the media have dreamed up to make their beating and the burning of their home their fault?
— Alexander Riley (@Que_Sais_Je_99) June 29, 2020
I actually tried to take on your challenge but honestly I dont think I am insane enough to think up a media narrative. That how bonkers the media is right now.
— Aaron Watkins (@Otis_Spunks) June 29, 2020
You don't protest in residential neighborhoods! You protest city hall or a main meeting square in a city. People running roughshod through neighborhoods will get people killed!!!
— £♡¥€ D●Gz ?????? (@FactCheckedHere) June 29, 2020
The sentence should be handed down per person
Assault on each individual walking by
— #OpenMaraLago (@heyjolly) June 29, 2020
The absolute right call.
— BicycleBelle? (@BicycleBelle00) June 29, 2020
Are we actually going to see laws enforced in this country again?
— Terry Welty (@terrywelty) June 29, 2020
Have them fix the gate in exchange for dropping all charges
— The Well Armed Lamb (@LambWithGuns) June 29, 2020
They only know how to destroy. Just look at their friends in Seattle’s “autonomous zone.”
This is why the media can’t be trusted. From the first local news story to the main stream DNC controller media, there has been a steady stream of misinformation. You don’t get to behave threatening on private property and cry foul when people defend themselves.
— Dominic Lucero (@TheDomLucero) June 29, 2020
Here’s a headline: “Mostly peaceful couple confront protesters on their property.”
Related:
Media headlines seem to be leaving out some context about armed St. Louis couple guarding their home as ‘peaceful protesters’ were ‘passing by’ https://t.co/ndvcigvhEy
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 29, 2020
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