The World: U.S. couple charged for assaulting protesters with weapons

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 02:38 pm

On Monday a crime was filed against a US couple who became internet notorious for drawing an assault rifle and a handgun on protestors outside their Missouri home.

In a viral video, both attorneys, Mark McCloskey and his wife Patricia McCloskey, stand barefoot in their St. Louis garden as anti-racism protesters marched down a private street to demonstrate in front of the mayor ‘s house.

Mr McCloskey, 63, carried an assault rifle, and his wife Patricia, 61, was waving a handgun.

“Today my office filed charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey following an incident involving peaceful, unarmed protesters on June 28th. It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest,” Kimberly Gardner, the attorney for St Louis, said.

Without comment US President Donald Trump retweeted the white couple’s video pointing at the demonstrators, most of whom were black, a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun.

The clip sparked outrage online, with Ms Gardner tweeting she was “alarmed” to see “peaceful protesters met by guns and a violent assault.”

Faced with a growing backlash, US congressman and Trump ally Matt Gaetz came to the McCloskeys’ defence on Twitter, attempting to paint them as victims of a dystopian future should Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden win the November election.

(thenational)