U2 Cancels St Louis Concert Amid Heated Protests Over Cop’s Acquittal

“We cannot in good conscience risk our fans’ safety by proceeding with tonight’s concert,” band says

U2 has canceled their planned concert in St. Louis Saturday citing safety concerns amid the city’s protests over the acquittal of a police officer charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of an African-American driver.

The band published a statement on its website Saturday morning saying members of the group were informed by the St. Louis Police Department that officers would not be able to provide adequate security for the concert.

“We have been informed by the St. Louis Police Department that they are not in a position to provide the standard protection for our audience as would be expected for an event of this size,” the band said in a joint statement with tour promoter Live Nation.

“We have also been informed that local crowd security personnel would not be at full capacity,” the band explained. “In light of this information, we cannot in good conscience risk our fans’ safety by proceeding with tonight’s concert. As much as we regret having to cancel, we feel it is the only acceptable course of action in the current environment.”

Live Nation will refund the tickets, the press release said.

Protesters flooded St. Louis Friday morning after a judge found former police officer Jason Stockley not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith.

At least nine officers were injured in day of protests in St. Louis’ downtown and in Central West End areas, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. About 1,000 protesters surrounded the home of the city’s mayor, Lyda Krewson, in the Central West End late Friday, breaking windows and vandalizing it with red paint before cops arrived.

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