Support and Controversy Surround Police Crash into St. Louis LGBT+ Bar

Neighbors and aldermen rally in support of Bar:PM, a St. Louis bar that was hit by a police car and whose co-owner was arrested. The bar, cherished as a safe space by many gay men, received an exceptional turnout of supporters, with patrons emphasizing its irreplaceable value. The police initially claimed the officer swerved to avoid a dog, but later stated that he overcorrected while trying to avoid a parked car. The assault charge against the co-owner was downgraded to a misdemeanor, and attorney Javad Khazaeli disputed the police account, claiming that officers assaulted the co-owner. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones expressed concern about strained police-LGBTQ relations, and Aldermanic President Megan Green called for charges to be dropped.