St. Louis Cops Chanted 'Whose Streets, Our Streets' During Protests

Photo Credit: Jemelle Bouie

The protests that took place earlier this week and St. Louis, Missouri, was the result of Jason Stockley, a white former police officer, being acquitted for the murder of Anthony Lamar Smith, who is black, back in 2011.

Following the acquittal, the demonstrations began and have continued up until Monday, with protesters going up against the city's police force. The police have been criticized for their handling of the protests, using everything from a tactic known as "kettling" where officers box in protesters into a confined area, to using the "whose streets, our streets" chant popularized by the Black Lives Matter movement and used against St. Louis police following the protests that came after the Mike Brown case. A viral video has also circulated of officers trampling over an older woman who was a part of the protests.

On Tuesday, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson addressed the controversy, saying that "intimidation is not conduct that lives up to the standard of behavior expected by City police officers or any City employee." She also said that use of the "whose streets, our streets" chant by the cops was "not an acceptable statement" and did "not serve to de-escalate the situation and encourage peaceful behavior which is our goal."

Over 80 protesters were arrested. The protests stemmed from the acquittal of Jason Stockley, a former cop who shot Anthony Lamar Smith five times during a high-speed car chase.

Source: buzzfeed.com