Nearly a year after a tornado tore through North St. Louis, frustration over the pace of recovery spilled into City Hall last week, where protesters interrupted Mayor Cara Spencer’s State of the City address and demanded more resources for residents still rebuilding.
The disruption, which delayed the speech by about 20 minutes and led to multiple arrests, underscored broader concerns about housing, displacement and whether the city’s recovery efforts have reached some of its hardest-hit neighborhoods.
Chants of “Fund North City!” echoed through the marble-lined rotunda just seconds after Spencer began speaking Friday night. Protesters held signs with photos of homes they said remain damaged months after the May 16, 2025, storm.
“There are people living on the streets right now,” one protester shouted during the interruption. “Where the [expletive] are you leading us?”
The demonstration followed an earlier rally organized by Action St. Louis and other groups on the steps of City Hall, where participants outlined concerns about tornado recovery, conditions at the City Justice Center and other issues.
Organizers said they initially believed the mayor’s address would be invitation-only and planned an outdoor protest. By the time of the event, however, the address was open to the public, allowing demonstrators to enter City Hall.
Spencer later said she anticipated protests and chose to keep the event open to the public.
Police said officers issued multiple warnings before arresting at least five people who refused to stop disrupting the event or leave the building.
“In a collaborative decision with a City official, warnings were given by SLMPD for those involved to stop or leave the building,” said Mitch McCoy, director of public affairs for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. “When those warnings were not followed, our officers and marshals took action.”
Those arrested were removed from the building, some after linking arms and refusing to move, according to witnesses. Most were released later that night, while one person was released the following day.
Organizers said the protest was intended to draw attention to what they described as slow and uneven recovery in North St. Louis, where some homes remain unrepaired and residents continue to navigate insurance claims and rebuilding costs.
“It was a simple, nonviolent event,” said Dr. Michael McLemore, an electoral justice organizer with Action St. Louis. “We came to share our displeasure with the mayor and how the city has responded to the tornado.”
Inez Bordeaux, a Democratic committeewoman from St. Louis who was among those arrested, said the city should not have detained protesters.
“She should not have people arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights,” Bordeaux said.
In a statement posted on social media the following day, Spencer said officers followed established protocols and attempted to de-escalate the situation before making arrests.
When she resumed her speech, Spencer acknowledged the concerns raised by protesters.
“To everyone who came tonight to hear the State of the City, the state of our city includes a lot of pain and a lot of hurt,” Spencer said. “It includes lifetimes of disinvestment and a lifetime of work ahead of us.”
The protest highlighted continuing debate over how the city is prioritizing recovery resources, including the balance between demolition and rebuilding in neighborhoods hit hardest by the storm.
“The biggest fight is funds allocated toward demolition and debris removal versus stabilization and repairs,” McLemore said. “We want to see more investment in rebuilding North City as opposed to clearing it out.”
Other concerns raised by protesters included conditions at the St. Louis City Justice Center. The St. Louis City NAACP recently asked Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore to investigate medical care at the facility after more than 20 people have died in custody since 2020.
Despite the arrests, organizers said they plan to continue demonstrating, including around the one-year anniversary of the tornado next month.
“The city continues to lose population, particularly on the North Side,” McLemore said. “We need to focus on rehousing people who are still displaced and addressing the issues residents are facing every day.”
St. Louis American journalist Kenya Vaughn contributed to this report.
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.