Central Reform Congregation opened its doors to provide sanctuary for protesters demonstrating against the acquittal of a white policeman for the killing of a black suspect after police efforts to control the protesters led to violence.

After St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers reportedly surrounded CRC on Friday night and threatened to fire tear gas at the protesters inside, a trending Twitter hashtag called on the police to #GasTheSynagogue.

The St. Louis Circuit court on Friday acquitted former police officer Jason Stockley of first-degree murder in the 2011 death Anthony Lamar Smith, 24. Stockley, who is white, shot Smith, who was black, five times after a high-speed chase.

ADVERTISEMENT

On Friday night, following protests downtown earlier in the day, some 1,000 protesters marched through the Central West End in protest of the verdict. After hours of peaceful protest, and after many protesters had left, some protesters became violent, damaging the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, which is near CRC.

Near the intersection of Kingshighway Boulevard and Waterman Avenue, where CRC is located, two police officers were injured by bricks thrown by protestors. Riot police pushed at protesters and used tear gas.

Some protesters took sanctuary in CRC, and at the Unitarian church across the street.

Some of the protesters at CRC to social media to say that they were safe in the synagogue and grateful for the hospitality, which led others on social media to use the hashtag evoking Nazi atrocities.

Protesters thanked the synagogue via social media as well. “Thank you so much for opening up your sanctuary to us all. I was with two of my teens and we were gassed and hit with rubber bullets trying to flee the police. I don’t know what would’ve happened had you not thrown open your doors! Much love to you all!!” wrote one woman in a Facebook post under the hashtag “radicalhospitality.”