FERGUSON, Mo. – Among those charged in the Ferguson protest Friday night that left a police officer critically injured is a long-time St. Louis activist, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and a member of the City of St. Louis’s Civilian Oversight Board, which reviews allegations of police misconduct.
For much of the past decade, Keith Rose of St. Louis has been a leading activist for police reform and election integrity. He has sued the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, winning a major legal settlement.
Earlier this year, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones appointed Rose to the Civilian Oversight Board, with approval from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
Rose is now charged with first-degree property damage. He’s free on a $500 bond.
Court documents say he kicked in part the metal gate outside the Ferguson Police Department during a protest marking 10 years since the police killed Ferguson teen Michael Brown.
Rose told FOX 2 that the conditions of his bond now ban him from commenting about the Ferguson case. His attorney, Javad Khazaeli, said the charge was bogus.
He gave FOX 2 the following statement:
“There are pictures that show that Mr. Rose was not involved in damaging the fence. We are confused as to why he has been charged. This is the second time that Ferguson has tried to charge him with property damage, the last time being his use of Crayola chalk on a sidewalk. We are confident that we will prevail again like we did last time…our thoughts are with the officer who was injured.”
Ferguson officer Travis Brown is critically injured with a brain injury that he suffered when protester Elijah Gantt, of East St. Louis, allegedly tackled him.
Rose is among 84 people to split a nearly $5 million settlement with the City of St. Louis for alleged police mistreatment during mass arrests in a 2017 protest after the acquittal of former St. Louis Police Officer Jason Stockley in the deadly shooting of a drug suspect.
Mayor Jones released a statement regarding Rose’s future on the Civilian Oversight Board, saying:
“The charges against Keith Rose will be adjudicated in a court of law. While Mr. Rose is waiting for the outcome, he has verbally agreed to recuse himself from all board activity except for training. Per Ordinance 71749, the Mayor cannot remove someone from the COB. Instead, ‘upon good cause, the COB may vote to request the Board of Aldermen to act to remove a member.’”
St. Louis Aldermen and police groups are expected to call for Rose’s removal from the oversight board.
The Missouri Democratic Party is looking into possible action regarding Rose’s status as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week.
Rose is among a group of uncommitted delegates who refuse to back Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
