Gun-toting couple who aimed at unarmed black protesters complain they face charges and not the ‘mob’

Lawyers appear at Republican convention despite being accused of unlawful use of weapon

A couple from St Louis who earned notoriety after pointing guns at unarmed black protesters have complained that they face criminal charges, and not “the mob” they claim threatened them.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were photographed brandishing semi-automatic guns at protesters who walked near their home during a June demonstration for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd, face charges of unlawful use of a weapon.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey brandish firearms outside their home in St Louis during a demonstration for racial justice (Daniel Shular via Eurovision/AFP)

Yet they appeared in a video recorded for the Republican National Convention to denounce those charges, and to condemn “the mob” who had passed their $1.5m home.

“The radicals are not content just marching in the streets,” said Mark McCloskey. “They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want power. This is Joe Biden’s party. These are the people who will be in charge.”

The couple, both personal injury attorneys, were charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon. Several Republican leaders, including Donald Trump, have urged attorney general William Barr to pursue a civil rights investigation of the prosecutor who filed the charges.

Ms McCloskey repeated claims made by Mr Trump that Democratic housing proposals to create more integrated and diverse neighbourhoods would destroy the suburbs. Critics have accused the president of using coded language to deliver a racist message.

In the video broadcast on Monday night, Ms McCloskey said: “They want to abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning.”

She claimed such moves “would bring crime, lawlessness and low-quality apartments into thriving suburban neighbourhoods”.

She added: “These are the policies that are coming to a neighbourhood near you. Your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America."