Protesters stake out St. Louis jail after police make multiple arrests during protest at Galleria mall

St. Louis police arrested multiple people during a protest at the Galleria mall on Saturday.

About 200 protesters were marching inside the mall at around 11 a.m. when police ordered them to leave the area, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Police say 22 people were arrested during the event.

“Dispersal orders given loud and clear after destructive actions at the Galleria. Arrests appear to be imminent,” the tweet read.

Video from people in the mall shows officers arresting several protesters. According to St. Louis Public Radio, mall police blocked the escalators and at least one entrance.

Many stores closed on the lower level of the mall as demonstrators marched in the area, Fox 2 News reported.

“No one has the right to destroy the property of others and remain on private property after being asked to leave,” police tweeted at 11:32 p.m.

At 2:38 p.m., police tweeted that at least one officer and two protesters had received injuries during the event. The officer was transported to a hospital for a back injury, police say.

Charges will range from “trespassing, rioting and disorderly conduct, according to the department’s Twitter.

The mall was temporarily shut down because of the unrest, but was back open again before 3 p.m., according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Throughout Saturday afternoon and evening, protesters gathered outside the St. Louis County Justice Center, calling for the release of those that had been arrested.

As of 10:30 p.m., protesters were still outside the justice center.

Protesters also marched and chanted at a shopping area in Brentwood, beginning and ending the march in front of a Target where officers lined up in front of the doors.

One woman, 22-year-old Morgan Patterson-Gill, said she inadvertently wound up at the Galleria protest Saturday morning when she stopped to buy food and heard the protest going on. She said she saw police make multiple arrests, including a few that she did not feel were necessary.

“It was all very peaceful and turning violent extremely quickly. Swarms of police were arresting random people who were just standing there, not resisting,” she said. “I saw them pick up a man and thrown him on the ground.”

Patterson-Gill, who is a nurse, said an officer grabbed her and brandished his baton at her.

“I am a nurse, I don’t get violent. My job is to help people and heal people, it’s not in my character to be that way with anyone,” she said.

Patterson-Gill said once she was outside the mall, she saw more officers shaking up what appeared to be Mace canisters and holding weapons.

“It was extremely, extremely upsetting,” she said.

Protests have rocked St. Louis since former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley was acquitted of the death of Anthony Lamar Smith on Sept. 15.

While daytime protests have been peaceful, police say agitators have vandalized streets at night. Police in riot gear and protesters have clashed multiple times since the verdict on St. Louis streets.

In 2011, Stockley shot Smith after a two-minute police chase. Police dashcam video captures Stockley saying, “going to kill this (expletive), don’t you know it,” in the midst of the chase. When Smith stops his car, Stockley approaches him and fires five shots into Smith’s car, killing him.

Defense attorney Neil Bruntrager said Stockley fired only when Smith refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat toward an area where a gun was found.

This story was originally published September 23, 2017 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Protesters stake out St. Louis jail after police make multiple arrests during protest at Galleria mall."