Here’s The Story Behind The Couple Who Went Viral For Pointing Their Guns At Protesters
By now, you may have seen the gun-toting couple in the numerous memes that have been circulating on the web.
But what's their story?
Mark and Patricia McCloskey stood outside of their massive St. Louis home, guns in hand, as protesters made their way to the mayor's home. The McCloskey's live in a gated community, so clearly they must have been on edge as hundreds of protesters marched through their neighborhood.
Instead of peeking through their window shades, the McCloskey's had their fingers on the triggers of a semiautomatic rifle and a pistol—both pointed at the crowd.
Video and photos of the scene almost instantly went viral. It was even retweeted by President Trump.
Mark McCloskey told KSDK that he believes the extreme showing of firepower was the only thing that "stemmed the tide" against a group that he described as a "violent mob of terrorists who stormed through a gate."
The only thing that stopped the crowd from approaching the house was when I had that rifle. I really thought it was storming the Bastille; we’d be dead and the house would be burned
Mark and his wife Patricia are personal injury attorneys and after going viral over the weekend their McCloskey law office and website were both shuttered.
The protesters were walking past the McCloskey home on their way to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house on the next block in response to her publicly broadcasting the names and addresses of several local activists. While protest group leaders acknowledged the civil disobedience behind their decision to walk on the private street, they disputed any reports of violence or threatening behavior.
On the other hand, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner described the McCloskey's actions as "the real threat."
I am alarmed at the events that occurred over the weekend, where peaceful protesters were met by guns and a violent assault. We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated.
According to reports, there is no video footage or photos that show any protesters on their property Police are currently investigating and confirmed that it did receive a "call for help" at the McCloskey's address after the couple claimed that "protesters yelled threats and obscenities at them."
Mark McCloskey wants one thing to be clear: He does not want people to look at his and Patricia's actions as "racist or in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement."
On the wall of my conference room, I have an anti-slavery broadsheet. I’m not the enemy of the people supporting black lives. I am the enemy of the terrorists, the Marxists.
A lawyer for the couple doubled down on their support for the BLM protesters saying they were only fearful of the actions of white protesters who were described as "agitators."
The McCloskeys want to make sure no one thinks less of BLM, its message and the means it is employing to get its message out because of the actions of a few white individuals who tarnished a peaceful protest.
The St. Louis Circuit attorney is currently investigating the incident.