ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Calling a persistent group of "Lyda Resign" protestors "kids who don't even live in the city," Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards says black-on-black crime is "the real issue" facing the city.
Edwards remarks came Tuesday morning when he attended a gathering of anti-crime protestors on the south lawn outside City Hall.
The group calling itself "Protest That" gathered, about 25 people, several taking turns speaking through a bullhorn about how they think protesting police brutality is a legitimate issue, but they want more attention paid to the murders and shootings in St. Louis.
Related: Police disperse Mayor Krewson protest camp outside St. Louis City Hall
Standing there watching, Edwards stepped forward and took the bullhorn to deliver his remarks without notes.
He began by saying that protestors outraged over police misconduct against African Americans appear to have a double-standard when it comes to black-on-black crime. You can hear Edwards' speech in the video at the top of this page.
"What we have to deal with, if we truly are concerned about black lives, we need to address this issue against black lives," Edwards said, "We have to address this issue. Black-on-black crime--we run away from it like it doesn't happen."
Edwards told the crowd that none of the many protests since the Michael Brown death have been held "north of Delmar." He challenged protestors to march down Martin Luther King or Goodfellow, or start an encampment in north St. Louis.
The Public Safety Director also took aim at the protestors who have been gathering--almost nightly--outside City Hall and Mayor Krewson's home, protestors who want her to resign for having mentioned during a Facebook live event the names and addresses of some people who want the northside jail defunded.
Edwards says many of those protestors are from St. Louis County, and don't live in the city.
"You know what, those kids who've been down here protesting--I want them out of the City. They need to go home. They need to go back where they come from. We don't want them down here anymore. We got other issues that we need to address. I got real issues that we need to address."
The group "Protest That" is pushing for the city to contract with a surveillance company that would deploy a spy plane over the city to try to solve crime.
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