St. Louis Officials Will Not Prosecute 9 BLM Protesters Charged With Trespassing in McCloskey Incident ​

Mark and Patricia McCloskey stand in front of their house holding firearms as protesters walk through the gated neighborhood in the Central West End of St. Louis, Mo., on June 28, 2020. Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

St. Louis officials said Tuesday that they will not prosecute nine Black Lives Matter protesters who were arrested and charged with trespassing on the private property of a gun-wielding couple.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey fueled a national debate over the right to bear arms on June 28 after footage of them pointing their guns at dozens of BLM protesters who had entered their private street went viral. The protesters were on their way to protest at the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson.