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Protesters return to the Galleria one week later

Mall security didn't allow 5 On Your Side inside the mall as protesters marched, but a news crew caught up with them as soon as they came outside

One week after protesters and police clashed at St. Louis Galleria, protesters were back at the mall Saturday.

This time, there was a different outcome. No one was arrested.

Police arrested 22 people at the Galleria on September 23, 2017. Several protesters claim police used unnecessary force that day, such as body slamming people to the pavement.

Saturday, September 30, however, police did not stop protesters from being inside the mall or from taking over a busy intersection.

The protest started inside the building. Mall security didn't allow 5 On Your Side inside the mall as protesters marched, but a news crew caught up with them as soon as they came outside and blocked traffic at Galleria Parkway and South Brentwood Boulevard.

"Our women, our children, our grandmothers, our men," State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. said. "They manhandled them and we came back to let them know, look, we're not scared. You can expect us. We're going to be here. You're going to get tired before we do."

Franks, and St. Louis 5th Ward Democratic Committeeman Rasheen Aldridge, say police tactics were different this week.

"They finally did their job," Aldridge said. "They let us do what we've been doing, being peaceful, protesting."
We asked protesters why they chose the mall to deliver their message.

"You go into the mall, you educate and empower folks who might not want to do it on their own," Franks said.
"Usually, [what] they only understand is money so we're going to stop their money revenue and maybe they'll have us come to the table and understand that they need to have the right people at the table so they can stop killing us," Aldridge said.

We also asked how long the St. Louis area can expect protests to continue.

"100 days, 200 days, 300 days," Aldridge said. "Until they understand the message of they really need to stop killing us."

"Until they get the message through their head," Franks said. "Until they truly understand that they're going to stop killing us."

There were fewer people protesting at the Galleria Saturday than at some of the other protests, especially those happening in the first few days after the Jason Stockley ruling. Protest leaders say that is not a sign of winding down.

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