As Many As 17 Placed Under Arrest During St. Louis Sit-in Against Police Brutality

St. Louis police have arrested at least 17 people for an “unlawful assembly” as activists staged a spontaneous sit-in outside a convenience store following a mass march, part of a four-day “Ferguson October” public event to protest police brutality.

Early on Sunday morning between 100 and 200 people marched on a QT (QuikTrip) convenience store at Vandeventer and Chouteau. Protesters sat down, surrounding the convenience store.

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They staged a brief a sit-in at around 1 am local time, which local police spokeswoman Schron Jackson has called an “unlawful assembly”.

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But according to Police Chief Sam Dotson, protesters were“attempting to storm” the store and showed “illegal behavior”.

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Sam Dotson then tweeted that protesters started “throwing rocks at the police” as they were asked to leave the area.

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Police reportedly used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

The impromptu sit-in outside QT was part of a two day “Ferguson October” public event, which lasts through Monday.

READ MORE: ‘Terror on American soil’: #FergusonOctober stages 4-day rally as shooting anger rages

Mass events have been planned on October 10-13 – the “Weekend of Resistance” – after a second black man 18-year-old Vonderrick Myers Jr was shot dead by an off-duty white police officer, who reportedly fired at him up to 17 times.

READ MORE: ‘Justice for everyone!’ Thousands stand up against police brutality in Ferguson, St. Louis

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