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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Mark and Patricia McCloskey are wealthy. They live in Portland Place, a private gated community near St. Louis.
Six years ago, something unusual happened. Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters got into Portland Place and began walking across the McCloskey’s property. The wrought iron gate was knocked over. More than 500 people entered. The BLM demonstrators were looking for the home of St. Louis Lyda Krewson. She lived one block over.
The McCloskey’s had no idea what was happening. As far as they were concerned, their neighborhood was being invaded. They were also legal gun owners. Mark came out of his front door armed with an AR-15. Patricia brandished a pistol. They demanded the protesters get off their land. “Private property!” and “Get out!” they yelled. Several demonstrators confronted them on their front lawn. The McCloskeys were unaware that the protesters wanted to get to the mayor’s house. They thought their home was being invaded and that their lives were in danger. No shots were fired.
The McCloskey’s were charged by Kimberly Gardner, the city attorney. She said the charges were intended to defend the right to peacefully assemble and protest. The McCloskey’s were charged with unlawful use of a weapon, a felony. They each pled guilty to misdemeanors and were fined. They were pardoned by Missouri’s governor a year later.
Within a week after the incident, police confiscated Mark McCloskey’s gun. Even after the case was settled, the gun was not returned. Five years and three lawsuits later, the gun has been returned.
You might wonder how many of the demonstrators, who broke into a gated community and marched across private property, were charged with tresspassing. None… of course not.
Chris Conley
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