‘We were in fear of our lives’; Central West End couple seen pointing guns at protesters speaks
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ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOV) — Hundreds of protesters chanted and marched to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home Sunday night calling for her resignation.
A group of 300 protesters, chanting “resign Lyda, take the cops with you,” marched after Krewson read the names and addresses of demonstrators calling for police reform during a Friday afternoon Facebook Live video.
During the protest, a couple at a nearby home stepped outside with guns. Images and videos showed the woman pointing a handgun at the crowd. A man was seen holding a rifle.
The images and videos were shared thousands of times on social media Sunday night. Some people are supporting them for protecting their property and others are strongly criticizing them.
The homeowner reached out to News 4 Monday morning saying he was having dinner with his family outside of his home when the crowd smashed through wrought iron gates on Portland Place.
“A mob of at least 100 smashed through the historic wrought iron gates of Portland Place, destroying them, rushed towards my home where my family was having dinner outside and put us in fear of our lives,” he said. “This is all private property. There are no public sidewalks or public streets. We were told that we would be killed, our home burned and our dog killed. We were all alone facing an angry mob.”
Later in the night, protesters painted “RESIGN” on the street in front of the mayor’s house.
During her Facebook Live on Friday, Krewson was asked about a meeting she had with protesters outside City Hall. Krewson grabbed submitted letters and read them, including the names and both partial and full addresses of those calling to defund the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The video has since been deleted and Krewson issued an apology later that day. A spokesperson for the mayor said she will not resign.
The names and addresses submitted are public record. For example, comments submitted to the St. Louis County Council must include names and addresses and all the information is read aloud.
St. Louis Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green said in a tweet “So not cool to doxx my constituents who support #DefundThePolice on your FB live. It’s a move designed to silence dissent, and it’s dangerous”
The ACLU of Missouri released a statement saying what Krewson did was “shocking and misguided,” saying reading the information aloud “serves no apparent purpose beyond intimidation.”
An online petition demanding Krewson’s resignation has gained more than 40,000 signatures. Those calling for her to step down say she doxed people by reading those letters, meaning she made private or identifying information public on the internet with malicious intent.
“Tonight, I would like to apologize for identifying individuals who presented letters to me at City Hall as I was answering a routine question during one of my updates earlier today. While this is public information, I did not intend to cause distress or harm to anyone,” Krewson said in a statement. “The post has been removed and again, I sincerely apologize.”
St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones also tweeted saying “The Mayor’s actions not only endanger her citizens, it is also reckless,” echoing calls for Krewson’s resignation.
Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who is challenging Krewson in the Democratic primary in the 2021 mayoral election, stopped short of calling for Krewson’s resignation.
“It’s a tough time to be a mayor but it’s our job as elected officials to rise to the challenge,” Spencer said.
News 4 reached out to the mayor for comments, but a spokesperson said the mayor in not interested in talking, saying “she’s apologized, acknowledges she made a mistake and has absolutely no intention of resigning.”
If Krewson resigns, Lewis Reed, the president of the Board of Aldermen, would assume the role.
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