I haven’t seen this diaried here, and it hasn’t made it on TV yet, but the St. Louis Post Dispatch, London Independent and Huffington Post are all reporting another hate-motivated ramming of protesters with a vehicle. We saw it Charlottesville and now it has happened in St. Louis.
Last night in St. Louis’ Grove neighborhood, a candlelight vigil was held for a black transgender women, fatally shot the day before by police after police say she’d stabbed two people, including a responding officer. After the vigil, mourners carrying candles and signs began a march to local gay bars and blocked an intersection. A driver approached and, according to witnesses, expressed his displeasure before driving into the crowd, and causing three injuries, characterized as minor.
Witness Elizabeth Gombos of Pocahontas described the incident.
"After we were already in front of the car, he made a point to stop, flip us off with both hands and then he accelerated," Gombos said. "Once he hit people, that's when people lost it. Once people realized he was going to hurt people, they started to hit his car. I'm not going to deny they hit his car. They hit it with whatever they had ... fist, feet. They were trying to make him stop.”
There are photos and cell-phone videos at the links:
www.stltoday.com/…
www.independent.co.uk/...
The vigil has been held to honor Kenny “Kiwi” Herring, whom police said stabbed a neighbor she felt had been threatening her, according to friends and family. Herring also stabbed the arm of a police officer who responded to the incident, and was fatally shot by police.
The driver of the car was apprehended by police a block away from the clash after a short chase. No information is yet available as to his identity, though he is described as a white male. The march broke up shortly after the incident.
People are losing their minds. I can only assume that those who have hate in their hearts have heard of GOP-driven legislation in six states including North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas that would have shielded drivers from civil liability if they hit protesters. All the bills died, but it appears some are taking it as a permission slip to ram protesters.
The ACLU labeled these “hit and kill” bills, correctly predicting they would embolden extremists and undermine the right to free assembly.
We must continue to RESIST!
Update: Top of the rec list. That’s my first time even on it. Thanks everyone.
Another Update: There’s a petition opposing the NC “hit and kill” bill. You can sign it here.
