People angry over the acquittal of St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley, who was accused of shooting Lamar Smith in 2011, protested September 10th. As of morning of Monday the 11th, more than 80 people had been arrested, according to authorities.

The protests began peacefully on Friday, but as of Sunday police said the protests were no longer peaceful. Five weapons were confiscated, according to the St. Louis Police Department. At least 32 people were arrested earlier in the weekend as demonstrators blocked highways, damaged property and threw rocks at the mayor’s house and bricks at police officers.

These protests were a chain reaction as after St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson found Jason Stockley, 36, not guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action during a bench trial. Wilson found that the details of the case did not prove the case contained evidence tampering. Prosecutors had accused Stockley of planting a gun in the car after shooting Smith.

During a 2011 chase, which ensued after Stockley and his partner suspected Smith had been involved in a drug deal, Stockley was heard saying he was “going to kill this motherf***er.” The then-police officer shot 24-year-old Lamar Smith five times after the high-speed chase and crash, due to the driver allegedly having a gun.

Stockley said Smith backed into their police SUV twice in an apparent attempt to harm them. Stockley exited the SUV with his department-issued handgun. He also had a personal AK-47 pistol, a violation of department policy, according to the report.  “In fear for my safety and that of my partner,” Stockley said in the report,

“I discharged my department-issued firearm at the subject striking him in the chest,” wrote Stockley in his police report on the incident.

Stockley then entered Smith’s car “to locate the weapon and render it safe,” the report said. He removed ammunition from the silver revolver, he said in the report.

Prosecutors alleged that Stockley planted the gun at the scene, but the judge didn’t buy it.

“The gun was too large, Wilson said, for Stockley to hide it from the cameras at the scene.”

Forensic analysis revealed that Stockley’s was the only DNA present on the gun he said belonged to Smith, the criminal complaint said.

“The days have been calm, but the nights have been destructive.” is how Mayor Krewson described the unfolding protests.

Protest continued for several nights throughout the week.