White Couple Who Waved Guns at Black Lives Matter Protesters To Speak At Republican Convention

Patricia and Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis homeowners who pointed guns at protesters earlier this summer, will speak at the Republican National Convention.

The Republican convention will take place digitally between Aug. 24 and Aug. 28, according to CNN. The McCloskey’s scheduled appearance is a sign the convention is another Trump-fest focused on appearances over substance.

Democrats kicked off their virtual convention Monday night where Michelle Obama, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and a Republican — former Ohio Gov. John Kasich—all spoke virtually.

The McCloskey’s gained attention this summer after being recorded brandishing guns outside their mansion and threatening protesters walking on a private street en route to protest outside of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home to protest her decision to publish the names and addresses of people in favor of police reform in the city.

About 500 protesters were walking down the block near the McCloskey’s home to bypass road closures that blocked access to the mayor’s home, according to Daniel Shular, a local reporter who recorded the incident.

“A door next to the gate at Portland Place was unlocked and protesters went through it to cut through the neighborhood to get to Krewson’s house,” he told CNN.

That’s when the couple came out of their house holding guns. They exchanged words with a couple of protesters, but no one was hurt and no shots were fired. The McCloskey’s were later charged with unlawful use of a weapon.

However, President Trump became quick fans of the couple. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters days after the incident, President Donald Trump “said it is absolutely absurd, what is happening to the McCloskeys.”

Mark McCloskey defended his actions saying last month he was “in imminent fear they would run me over, kill me.”

“I was a person scared for my life, protecting my wife, my home, my hearth, my livelihood. I was a victim of a mob that came through the gate,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo in July.

McCloskey added it is “ridiculous” to consider him the face of opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement after the incident.

“I didn’t care what color they were. I didn’t care what their motivation was,” he said. “I was frightened. I was assaulted.”

Other speakers for the Republican convention include Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann, Andrew Pollack, the father of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack, anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Pennsylvania congressional candidate Sean Parnell, according to CNN.