Protests continue in US city over ex-policeman's acquittal

Protests continued in St. Louis city in the US over the acquittal of a former police officer who was accused in the first-degree murder of an African-American man in 2011, authorities said.

On Sunday night, protests entered the third day after St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley was found not guilty on September 15 in the killing of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith, reports Xinhua news agency.

Police confiscated guns, knives, a sword, pepper spray, and a shield from protestors.

Unknown chemicals were sprayed by protestors at police officers.

Protestors had spent much of the day disrupting city streets, marching from police headquarters to a local university. But by nightfall, much of the law-abiding crowd had dissipated.

More protests were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

Stockley was found not guilty of first-degree murder and armed critical action almost six years after the incident took place when he shot Smith five times after a high-speed car chase that ended with a collision.

Prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun on Smith, as Stockley's DNA was found on the gun but Smith's was not. Stockley maintains his statement that he acted in self-defence.

--IANS

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