Skip to main content

Wisconsin city braces for third night of protests over police shooting of Black man

KENOSHA, Wis. - Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday were readying for a third night of unrest after the shooting of a Black man in the back by police, with the governor vowing to boost the presence of the state’s National Guard to curb looting and arsonists.

The announcement by Governor Tony Evers that he would seek to augment the Wisconsin National Guard’s presence - more than 100 members were deployed on Monday - came as other officials called for a more forceful response to the sometimes violent protests.

Kenosha County Board of Supervisors member Zach Rodriguez said the board would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday on seeking federal help, such as U.S. Marshals Service officers, after some 300 rioters looted businesses and set fire to buildings overnight.

“Essentially, our city was burned to the ground, building by building,” Rodriguez told Reuters. “Enough is enough.”

Officials were bracing for a repeat of Monday night when smoke billowed over central Kenosha and police in riot gear clashed with protesters as they defied a dusk-to-dawn curfew amid outrage over the shooting of Jacob Blake, 29, on Sunday.

Blake, who had been attempting to break up a fight between two women, was struck by four of the seven shots, all fired by one officer, in front of his sons aged 3, 5 and 8, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Blake family, told ABC News on Tuesday. Crump will hold a news briefing at 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT)

Video captured by a neighbor shows Blake walking toward the driver’s side door of his SUV, away from two officers who were pointing guns at his back. After he opens the door and leans into the car, seven shots ring out, with one of the officers tugging at his shirt. The police have not explained why Blake was shot.

Crump said there was “no indication he was armed.”

Blake’s uncle, Justin Blake, said he had been told by Blake’s father that Blake may have “temporary paralysis” in his legs, but that doctors hoped this may subside as swelling from his injuries goes down. “He’s strong and he’s a young man, so we’re just praying for a fast recovery,” the uncle told Reuters.

The shooting is under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which has not released any details. Kenosha police have referred all questions to the state investigators.

But the incident, the latest in a litany of cases to focus attention on police treatment of African Americans, unleashed outrage in Kenosha, a Lake Michigan city of about 100,000 people located between Chicago and Milwaukee.

The shooting occurred three months after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and racism.

Clyde McLemore, president of the Black Lives Matter chapter in nearby Lake County, Illinois, south of Kenosha, said demonstrators would be out again on Tuesday night, demanding that the officers involved in the shooting, who have been placed on administrative leave, be fired and prosecuted.

“We won’t stop protesting until we get that done,” he said. “I don’t condone burning of buildings or looting, but I understand it. Them places got insurance, they’ll be back up.”

Unrest flared again elsewhere on Monday night in the United States with overnight clashes reported in Portland, Oregon; Seattle and Minneapolis. In New York City, marchers swarmed the Brooklyn Bridge, social media video showed.

In Kenosha a curfew set for 8 p.m. on Monday was largely ignored. As the evening wore on, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent, with some people setting off fireworks and others setting fire to buildings.

Local police, supported by National Guard troops, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd, according to protester Porche Bennett, 31, of Kenosha.

Bennett said fires had destroyed much of the Black business district and that those she saw igniting fires were white. “It’s people from out of town doing this. We’ve been shopping there since we were kids, and they set it on fire,” Bennett said.

While acknowleding the First Amendment rights of protesters, Governor Evers said lawless behavior would not be allowed.

“There remains a line between peaceful assembly and what we saw last night that put individuals, families, and businesses in danger,” the Democratic governor said in a statement, which did not provide details on the extent of the enhanced National Guard deployment.

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o