Photos: Fourth of July brings celebration, demonstrations to downtown

Culture & History

Photos: Fourth of July brings celebration, demonstrations to downtown St. Louis

漏 2024 外网天堂 | By Brian Munoz

Published July 4, 2022 at 9:16 PM CDT

The Civil Courts building, left, and the Gateway Arch are set ablaze in color during a fireworks spectacular on Monday as seen from outside Union Station in downtown St. Louis.

Fair St. Louis festivities returned to downtown St. Louis after a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands participated in the three-day celebration packed with food and entertainment.

Hundreds of protesters interrupted the fair Monday afternoon as they stopped traffic and marched against a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed Missouri to effectively end the practice of abortion in the state. Demonstrators chanted to onlookers, 鈥淥ut of the fair, into the streets!鈥�

Lauren Wright, 25, of St. Louis, helped organize the protest and said she is a first-time demonstrator. 鈥淚鈥檝e never experienced sorrow and rage like I did last Friday,鈥� she said. 鈥淢yself and the other people here, are prepared to spend the next 50 years fighting for our rights and ensuring that democracy and human rights are protected in the United States.鈥�

Wright said the demonstration was scheduled for the Fourth of July to make a point.

鈥淭his is the day of Liberty in the United States. Liberty by definition is freedom from restrictive oppressions within society. I would say forcing a woman to give birth when she does not want to is an oppressive restriction that now exists within our society,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o we don't have liberty; we're here on Independence Day to make a point [that] our rights have been stolen from us and we're not going to tolerate it.鈥�

The protest group eventually entered the fairgrounds near Kiener Plaza. Organizers and abortion care advocates said they will not give up until safe access to abortion care is reinstated.

View scenes from the fair and demonstrations below:

Marcus Nelson, 1, of Maryland Heights, cools off with a firehose of water on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. A heat advisory is in affect throughout the region through the holiday weekend. — Marcus Nelson, 1, of Maryland Heights, cools off with a firehose of water on Sunday during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. A heat advisory is in effect in the region throughout the holiday weekend.

Teddy Blackett Sr., of St. Louis, takes a picture of his 3-year-old son Teddy Jr., as he sits in a military humvee on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — Teddy Blackett Sr., of St. Louis, takes a picture of his 3-year-old son Teddy Jr., as he sits in a military humvee on Sunday during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis.

LEFT: April Venner, a trainer for Purina Farms ProPlan Performance team, performs with Motown, her miniature Australian Shepherd, on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. RIGHT: Motown performs a trick in front of audiences. — LEFT: April Venner, a trainer for Purina Farms ProPlan Performance team, performs with Motown, her miniature Australian Shepherd, on Sunday during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. RIGHT: Motown performs a trick in front of dozens.

Lanai, Purina trainer April Venner鈥檚 McNab Shepherd, tosses a frisbee back on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — Lanai, a McNab Shepherd, tosses a frisbee back to Purina trainer April Venner on Sunday.

Soda Pop, Purina trainer April Venner鈥檚 Standard Poodle, launches into the air to catch a frisbee on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — Soda Pop, Purina trainer April Venner鈥檚 Standard Poodle, launches into the air to catch a frisbee on Sunday.

LEFT: Soda Pop, Purina trainer April Venner鈥檚 Standard Poodle, waits for a command on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. RIGHT: Natalie Kirchner, center, a 30-year-old from St. Charles, claps alongside dog fans as Soda Pop bows. — LEFT: Soda Pop, Purina trainer April Venner鈥檚 Standard Poodle, waits for a command on Sunday. RIGHT: Natalie Kirchner, center, a 30-year-old from St. Charles, claps alongside dog fans as Soda Pop bows.

Chinesa Gomillia, and her daughter Harmony Stanger, 4, both of south St. Louis, react while watching performance dogs on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — Chinesa Gomillia, and her daughter Harmony Stanger, 4, both of south St. Louis, react while watching performance dogs on Sunday.

An American flag flies in front of the Old Courthouse on Sunday, July 3, 2022, during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — An American flag flies in front of the Old Courthouse on Sunday during Fair Saint Louis festivities at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis.

Timothy Edger, 60, of Steeleville, Mo., enjoys a tropical drink on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. Edger said he鈥檚 was in the Army for 39 years but has since retired. — Timothy Edger, 60, of Steeleville, Mo., enjoys a tropical drink on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis.

Cher Scott, of north St. Louis, shows off her red, white and blue Nike Air shoes on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. Edger said he鈥檚 was in the Army for 39 years but has since retired. — Cher Scott, of north St. Louis, shows off her red, white and blue Nike Air shoes on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. Edger said he鈥檚 was in the Army for 39 years but has since retired.

Sammie Starr, a singer with the St. Louis-based 鈥淭rap Band,鈥� belts out while performing on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. — Sammie Starr, a singer with the St. Louis-based 鈥淭rap Band,鈥� belts out while performing on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis.

Rachel Robinson-Hunter, of north St. Louis County, dances while the St. Louis-based 鈥淭rap Band鈥� performs on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. — Rachel Robinson-Hunter, of north St. Louis County, dances while the St. Louis-based 鈥淭rap Band鈥� performs on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis.

Jessica Wilmes, a Purina Farms dog trainer from Dardenne Prairie, kisses Fidget, her 1-year-old Border Collie mix, while cooling down on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. — Jessica Wilmes, a Purina Farms dog trainer from Dardenne Prairie, kisses Fidget, her 1-year-old Border Collie mix, while cooling down on Monday.

Nathaniel Rosas, 2, of Murphysboro, Ill., reaches into a fountain while cooling off on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. — Nathaniel Rosas, 2, of Murphysboro, Ill., reaches into a fountain while cooling off on Monday.

The sun beats down on a Fair St. Louis sign on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Independence Day celebrations in downtown St. Louis. — The sun beats down on a Fair St. Louis sign on Monday during Independence Day celebrations in downtown St. Louis.

Brittany Lazaruk, 30, of Arnold., holds up an upside-down American flag while protesting in support of aboriton-rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, in front of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. — Brittany Lazaruk, 30, of Arnold., holds up an upside-down American flag while protesting in support of abortion-rights on Monday in front of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.

A shadow is casted by Madeline Gilmore, 24, of Columbia, Mo., while demonstrating for abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. — A shadow is casted by Madeline Gilmore, 24, of Columbia, Mo., while demonstrating for abortion rights on Monday.

Charas Norell, 28, of south St. Louis, demonstrates in support of abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. 鈥淢y body belongs to me, it doesn鈥檛 belong to anyone else,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to stand for someone else taking my rights away.鈥� — Charas Norell, 28, of south St. Louis, demonstrates in support of abortion rights on Monday outside of City Hall in downtown St. Louis. 鈥淢y body belongs to me, it doesn鈥檛 belong to anyone else,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to stand for someone else taking my rights away.鈥�

LaRhonda Wilson, 48, with the advocacy group Color for Change, speaks to a crowd of abortion rights demonstrators on Monday, July 4, 2022, in front of City Hall in downtown St. Louis. — LaRhonda Wilson, 48, with the advocacy group Color for Change, speaks to a crowd of abortion rights demonstrators on Monday in front of City Hall in downtown St. Louis.

Hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators fill Poelker Park on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. — Hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators fill Poelker Park on Monday.

Danny March, 41, of Ballwin, demonstrates in support of abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. 鈥淚鈥檓 out here today to support all the women in my life and because I鈥檓 afraid where this may lead,鈥� he said. 鈥淭aking our rights, like those in the LGBTQ+ community.鈥� — Danny March, 41, of Ballwin, demonstrates in support of abortion rights on Monday in downtown St. Louis. 鈥淚鈥檓 out here today to support all the women in my life and because I鈥檓 afraid where this may lead,鈥� he said. 鈥淭aking our rights, like those in the LGBTQ+ community.鈥�

Althea Johnson, 65, of Jennings, stretches her arms out while participating in a demonstration supporting abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. — Althea Johnson, 65, of Jennings, stretches her arms out while participating in a demonstration supporting abortion rights on Monday at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis.

Hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators march along Market Street on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown St. Louis. — Hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators march along Market Street on Monday.

Valerie Simone, 24, of Franklin County, center, leads hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators on Monday, July 4, 2022, while marching on Market Street in downtown St. Louis. — Valerie Simone, 24, of Franklin County, center, leads hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators on Monday while marching on Market Street.

Amaya Stief, 22, of Bethalto, demonstrates on Monday, July 4, 2022, during an abortion rights demonstration in downtown St. Louis. — Amaya Stief, 22, of Bethalto, demonstrates on Monday during an abortion rights protest in downtown St. Louis.

Onlookers take photos of hundreds as they march down Market Street to advocate for abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown. — Onlookers take photos of hundreds as they march down Market Street to advocate for abortion rights on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown.

Hundreds march to advocate for abortion rights on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown. — Hundreds march to advocate for abortion rights on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown.

Jessica Burns Perez, 31, of Columbia, Ill., holds up a hangar affixed to an updside down American flag on Monday, July 4, 2022, during a demonstration for abortion rights in downtown St. Louis. — Jessica Burns Perez, 31, of Columbia, Ill., holds up a hangar affixed to an upside down American flag on Monday during a demonstration for abortion rights.

A large American flag hangs in front of the Old Courthouse on Monday, July 4, 2022, during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis. — A large American flag hangs in front of the Old Courthouse on Monday during Fair St. Louis festivities in downtown St. Louis.

Brian Munoz is a staff photojournalist and multimedia reporter at 漏 2024 外网天堂. You can reach him by email at bmunoz@stlpr.org and follow his work on Instagram and Twitter at @brianmmunoz.