Ethan Walker
On June 27, 2020, a violent clash between different groups of protesters in St. Louis, Missouri, sparked claims that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter had beaten a group of Catholics holding hands and praying the rosary. While videos of the incident show violent confrontations, labeling them as Black Lives Matter activists beating up Catholics mischaracterizes the nature of the altercations. The group described as Catholics included individuals associated with hate groups, and the event was organized by the proprietor of a far-right conspiracy website.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 June 2020 |
| Location | Art Hill, St. Louis, Missouri |
| Participants | Catholics, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, far-left activists, Proud Boys |
| Reason | Protest over the removal of a statue of King Louis IX |
| Outcome | Violent confrontations, Catholics punched, kicked, beaten with walking sticks |
| Casualties | No serious injuries reported |
| Misinformation | Claims that Catholics were attacked by BLM protesters were misleading |
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What You'll Learn
Were Black Lives Matter activists involved?
On June 27, 2020, a violent clash between different groups of protesters in St. Louis, Missouri, took place. The groups were divided over the removal of a statue of King Louis IX. While some protesters wanted the statue to be removed, others wanted it to remain.
The group wanting the statue to remain included several dozen Catholics who started the event with a recitation of the Rosary. They were joined by members of the alt-right, white supremacists, and at least five members of the Proud Boys, a hate group according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The event was organized by Jim Hoft of The Gateway Pundit, a far-right conspiracy website.
The counter-protesters included Muslim and Jewish activists who wanted the statue removed due to King Louis IX's persecution of Jews in the Middle Ages. While there were Black Lives Matter activists present, this was not an official BLM protest.
Social media users circulated images and videos claiming that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter had savagely beaten a group of Catholics who were peacefully praying. However, these claims have been deemed misleading and inaccurate by Reuters and Snopes. While there was a violent confrontation, there is no indication that the man shown being attacked in the images was part of the Catholic contingent. Furthermore, the "`Catholics`" group was not solely comprised of Catholics, and the event was not organized by a religious group.
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Were Antifa activists involved?
On June 27, 2020, a group of Catholics gathered at the base of a statue of King Louis IX in St. Louis, Missouri, to pray for the statue's preservation. The statue was under threat of removal, with some protesters labeling it as racist. The event was organized by the Gateway Pundit, a far-right conspiracy website, and attended by several members of the Proud Boys, a hate group, as well as Catholic priests and other Catholics.
A counter-protest was quickly planned by several far-left groups, including "Cop Watch St. Louis," who tied the event to the alt-right rally in Charlottesville. As the Catholic group concluded their gathering, some of its members were attacked by counter-protesters. Claims circulated on social media that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter had beaten a group of Catholics praying at the statue. However, these claims have been deemed misleading by sources such as Reuters and Snopes. While there were Black Lives Matter activists present, this was not an official BLM protest, and there is no evidence that Antifa members were involved.
A Reuters photographer at the scene stated that the man shown being punched in the viral image did not appear to be part of the Catholic contingent. The man in question later identified himself on Facebook, claiming he had a knife in his pocket and describing the protest as a "jihad rally." This individual approached protesters near the end of the gathering as people were dispersing. While violence did occur, the claim that Antifa activists were involved in beating Catholics at the St. Louis protest is unsupported and misleading.
It is important to note that the event was not organized by a church or a religious group but by a far-right website known for spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation. The group described as "Catholics" included individuals associated with hate groups and white nationalist ideologies. While there were Catholics who attended in good faith, the characterization of the entire group as solely "Catholics" omits crucial details about the nature of the attendees and the event's organizers.
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Were the Catholics praying?
On June 27, 2020, a violent clash occurred between different groups of protesters in St. Louis, Missouri, over the removal of a statue of King Louis IX. While several sources confirm that Catholics were in attendance at the event, there is conflicting information regarding whether they were praying when the violence erupted.
According to some reports, a group of Catholics had gathered at the statue to pray and speak about their desire to keep it. The event, organized by the Gateway Pundit, was billed as a prayer rally, and several dozen Catholics started it off with a recitation of the Rosary. Local priests and seniors were among those present. As the event concluded, some attendees were attacked by counter-protesters. However, it is important to note that the man shown being punched in a widely circulated image was not part of the Catholic contingent that was praying. A Reuters photographer at the scene stated that there was no indication that the man was involved in the prayers.
On the other hand, some sources question the characterization of the Catholic group as solely peaceful protesters praying at the statue. It is noted that the event was organized by the proprietor of a far-right conspiracy website, and individuals associated with hate groups such as the Proud Boys were also in attendance. Additionally, the counter-protest was organized by Muslim and Jewish activists due to King Louis IX's persecution of Jews in the Middle Ages, providing context for the statue's removal.
While there were Catholics who attended the event to pray and express their views, the situation was more complex, with various ideologies and motivations at play. The presence of individuals associated with hate groups and the political undertones of the gathering add nuance to the narrative.
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Was the violence unprovoked?
On June 27, 2020, a violent clash occurred between different groups of protesters in St. Louis, Missouri, over the removal of a statue of King Louis IX. While several sources indicate that the violence was unprovoked, others suggest that the presence of certain groups and individuals at the rally may have been a factor.
The event was organized by the Gateway Pundit as a prayer rally for Catholics and Christians to gather in public prayer for the statue of St. Louis, which was under threat of removal. The statue held religious significance for St. Louis Catholics as King Louis IX is the only King of France to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
However, several far-left groups planned a counter-protest, including "Cop Watch St. Louis," claiming that the event was hosted by White Nationalists and Trump Supporters, drawing parallels with the alt-right rally in Charlottesville. The counter-protesters attempted to drown out the prayers with screaming, shouting, and airhorns, and some members of the original prayer group were physically attacked as the event concluded.
While the prayer group was predominantly Catholic, it is important to note that some individuals within this group had affiliations with hate groups such as the Proud Boys, a white supremacist organization. Additionally, the event was organized by the proprietor of a far-right conspiracy website, which may have contributed to the tensions and potential provocation for violence.
In conclusion, while the violence against the Catholic prayer group in St. Louis cannot be definitively deemed provoked or unprovoked due to limited information, the presence of individuals associated with hate groups and the politically charged nature of the event may have been contributing factors.
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Were the Catholics associated with hate groups?
On June 27, 2020, a violent clash occurred between different groups of protesters in St. Louis, Missouri, over the removal of a statue of King Louis IX. While the group described as "Catholics" did include individuals who were there to pray, it was also partly comprised of members of hate groups, such as the Proud Boys, and individuals with white nationalist ideologies. The event was organized by the proprietor of a far-right conspiracy website, The Gateway Pundit, who invited all Catholic and Christian men to join a prayer rally to save the statue.
The counter-protest was organized by Muslim and Jewish activists who wanted the statue taken down due to King Louis IX's persecution of Jews in the Middle Ages. While there were Black Lives Matter activists present at the event, it was not an official BLM protest. The St. Louis American reported that at least five Proud Boys were at the event, with two of them, Mike Lasater and Luke Rohlfing, confirming their involvement on social media.
Videos and images circulated online showing violent confrontations between the two groups, with claims that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter had savagely beaten a group of Catholics holding hands and praying the rosary. However, these claims have been deemed misleading and inaccurate. While there were indeed violent confrontations, the group described as "Catholics" was not solely made up of peaceful Catholics praying at the base of the statue. It is important to acknowledge the presence and involvement of members of hate groups within this group, which adds complexity to the narrative portrayed in the online videos and images.
In conclusion, while there were likely Catholics present at the event who attended in good faith, the group as a whole cannot be accurately described as solely comprised of peaceful Catholics. The presence of members of hate groups and individuals with white nationalist ideologies within this group complicates the narrative and should be considered when assessing the nature of the confrontations that occurred.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, on June 27, 2020, a group of Catholics were attacked at a prayer rally in St. Louis, Missouri. The prayer rally was organised to protest the removal of a statue of King Louis IX, the only King of France to be canonised by the Roman Catholic Church.
The attackers were members of counter-protest groups, including "Cop Watch St. Louis", who associated the event with white nationalists and alt-right groups. While some sources claim that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter were involved, this has been disputed.
There were no reports of serious injuries. However, it was reported that the Catholics were punched, kicked, and beaten with their own walking sticks.
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