President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended the St. Louis couple who last month wielded guns to defend their home from activists who walked through their gated neighborhood, and hinted he may take action in the case.
“They were going to be beat up badly if they were lucky, OK, if they were lucky,” the president said. “They were going to be beat up badly, and the house was going to be totally ransacked and probably burned down like they tried to burn down churches. “
“These people were standing there, never used it, and they were legal, the weapons,“ Trump continued. ”And now I understand somebody local, they want to prosecute these people. It’s a disgrace.”
On June 28, the couple were eating on their back porch when dozens of people entered their private neighborhood through a gate marked “Private Street.”
Pictures later showed the wrought iron gate damaged.
The McCloskeys grabbed firearms and stood outside their home, urging the group to keep going and not stop.
As they did, some of the group shouted threats at them.
The group was headed to the home of Democratic St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, who lives in the same neighborhood, to demand that she resign. They were upset she publicly read the names and addresses of activists who submitted complaints to entirely defund the city’s police department.
A police summary of the incident obtained by The Epoch Times said: “The victims stated they were on their property when they heard a loud commotion coming from the street. When the victims went to investigate the commotion, they observed a large group of subjects forcefully break an iron gate marked with ‘No Trespassing’ and ‘Private Street’ signs.”
“Once through the gate, the victims advised the group that they were on a private street and trespassing and told them to leave. The group began yelling obscenities and threats of harm to both victims. When the victims observed multiple subjects who were armed, they then armed themselves and contacted police,” it said.
The McCloskeys said in a statement released through their lawyer that they believe they acted lawfully because they remained on their property.
“Their actions were borne solely of fear and apprehension, the genesis of which was not race related. In fact, the agitators responsible for the trepidation were white,” the statement said.
The couple later said they support Black Lives Matter.
According to St. Louis-based FOX 2, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson received a phone call from the president, saying that he would try and do “everything in his power” in the McCloskey case.
“I just got off the phone with the president before I walked out here today. He understands the situation in Missouri. He understands the situation in St. Louis and how out of control it is for a prosecutor to let violent criminals off, and not do their job, and attack law-abiding citizens,” Parson told the news outlet.
Trump previously expressed his support for the McCloskeys by retweeting a video of the pair defending their home a day after the incident, accompanied by the caption, “Law and order.”
“The conversation I had with the president said that he would do everything within his power to help with this situation. He would be taking action to do that,” Parson continued. “I am thankful he is getting involved in this situation. I am thankful that he is going to stand up for people and their legal rights.”
