At 3:30 p.m., the heat-index in St. Louis was 108, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky to hide the scorching sun from the 200 protesters who gathered at the Old Courthouse steps on Thursday, July 21. “We are among 80 cities in over three countries that are participating in a National Day of Action ‘Freedom Now,’” said Activist Kayla Reed, as the crowd cheered. “The movement lives. It is growing. And a lot of you know, it started right here under the Arch.” The day of action called for national reform to the criminal justice system, and many cities tacked on local issues they felt needed attention as well. The courthouse protest was the second one that day. A smaller one took place earlier at noon on South Grand Ave., starting in Ritz Park. At both, the crowds shut down streets by forming lines and holding up “Black Lives Matter” signs.
“I think people need to know that our voices are going to stay heard,” said Nicole Gipson, who attended the Lunchtime Sit-In on South Grand in South city. “We are here to recognize lives that have been lost way too soon and way too violently because of the systemic oppression that a lot of black women and men feel. This is not acceptable, and something needs to change.” The sit-in lasted about an hour, and the group of about 30 people shut down South Grand Avenue twice. City police officers appeared the second time and asked the crowd to get out of the street. No arrests were made, and the police had left before the action was over. The activist group, TribeX, organized the courthouse action, which was themed “Let Them Eat Cake.” That phrase was spoken by a French upper class person who was responding the people’s hunger during the French Revolution. It became symbolic of the ignorance and of the upper class at that time.
The action specifically criticized a bill that came before the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in May, which would force people to obtain a vendor’s license if they wanted to feed the homeless. Alderman Jack Coatar’s Board Bill 66 proposed to add “dispensing and distributing” to the activities that require a vending license on any public sidewalk, street, park or roadway in St. Louis. It would also limit vending to the hours between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. The bill says nothing about feeding the homeless, but activists who help the homeless downtown said they can read between the lines. Even though the ordinance has not yet passed, activists have already been ticketed and threatened with arrest for feeding people, said Alisha Sonnier of TribeX.
“Alderman Jack Coatar would have you believe that feeding the homeless encourages them to congregate downtown,” Sonnier said to the crowd. “We counter that to say that the poverty and lack of resources to address critical needs is what drives and feeds homelessness.”
After the action, President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed posted on Twitter that the bill has been taken off the table and that he told Coatar he opposed it.
As part of the action, the group handed out food and water to the homeless in the park near Soldiers’ Memorial. Cathy Daniels, affectionately known as “Mama Cat,” put together the brown-bag meals.
Three generations of Daniels’ family have served in the U.S. Navy.
“Do you realize how many people out here have served this country?” Daniels said of the homeless. “They raised their right hand and swore to support and defend the Constitution of America. If you want to holler ‘All Lives Matter,’ let’s take care all the lives that matter out here. Don’t make it a crime to take care of the people who walk this earth like I walk this earth.”
Ironically, while protestors were shutting down the intersection at Tucker Boulevard and Market Street, a group had gathered in the green space nearby to celebrate young people who were leaving for boot camp and enlisting in the Navy.
As the protesters made a square to block off the busy intersection, activist Dhoruba Shakur set his sights on the group enjoying lunch.
“Honor your oath,” Shakur said as a lone protester from the sidewalk as the gathering was taking place.
“You swore to protect this nation against tyranny – both foreign and domestic,” Shakur said. “Honor your oath – 630 people have been killed by police this year. If that’s not domestic tyranny, I don’t know what is.”
A woman took it upon herself to come up and tell Shakur that “there is no such thing as white privilege” and “all lives matter.”
He tried to ignore her, but she entered his personal space in an attempt to get his attention.
After he told the woman “don’t touch me,” representatives from the Navy decided to get involved and attempted to force him to leave the area.
After they confronted him, he attempted to make his way to where their festivities were taking place.
“This is public property,” Shakur said.
“It is, but we have a permit to be here this afternoon, so we have the right to ask you to exit the premises” a naval officer in plainclothes told Shakur.
After Shakur demanded to see the permit, a young African-American naval officer dressed in his white uniform attempted to quell the growing tension. Shakur open carries a gun at his waist, just as many Minutemen were seen doing in Cleveland protests outside the Republican National Convention this week.
“I’m not saying you don’t have the right to protest, but think about what you’re doing,” the black officer said. “You’re coming out here with a gun walking around these people. Imagine how you’re making them feel.”
He then goes on to say how terrified the nearly all-white crowd must be seeing him so angry – and with a weapon in full view.
“That’s exactly what the police do to us when they come into our neighborhoods,” said Mark Calvert.
He wasn’t originally part of the protest, but after observing he jumped in the argument between the officer and Shakur.
Calvert said, “They get to feel what we feel every day.”
The confrontation ended quickly and peacefully. No arrests were made during TribeX’s action.
Kenya Vaughn contributed to this report.
Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.
