Riots & looting in Kenosha, Wisconsin as police reportedly shoot black man in the back SEVEN TIMES
24 Aug, 2020 05:10

People attacked a courthouse and threw Molotov cocktails at officers in Wisconsin after a viral video of yet another police shooting of a black man sparked heated protests.

Rioters broke into the local courthouse and started a fire on the ground floor, as looting was reported in the area.

A clip circulating on social media shows an angry crowd surrounding a patrol car. A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the officers. A few seconds later one officer was seen suddenly falling to the ground, while a bystander said that he "just got bricked."

Rallies were held on the streets with protesters chanting "No justice, no piece." People demonstrated outside the Kenosha County Public Safety Building despite a curfew that was imposed until 7am on Monday.

Local media reported that people were smashing the windows of parked police cars.

Public anger was sparked by a police-involved shooting on Sunday night. The chilling video that quickly went viral shows a black man walking towards an SUV followed by two officers, when one of them opened fire at the man as he opened the car door. According to reports, at least seven shots were fired.

Police said they were responding to a "domestic incident," without giving any additional details.

The victim, Jacob Blake, 29, was airlifted to a hospital in Milwaukee. A man claiming to be his friend wrote on social media that Blake was "out of surgery and in the ICU."

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers compared the shooting of Blake to the death of George Floyd and other black Americans who were killed in altercations with police.

"While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement," Evers stated.

The rioting and violence has escalated quickly with armed protesters face offing against police.

RT reports that Jacob Blake had a criminal record:

Video of the incident triggered a wave of public anger in Kenosha, which fueled a night of rioting. US mainstream media covered the shooting as the latest example of reckless police brutality targeting African Americans.

The reporting however seemed to avoid Blake's apparent criminal record. Wisconsin Circuit Court lists a man with the same name, age and address as the subject of an active arrest warrant, with three charges relating to domestic abuse, including 3rd degree sexual assault.

A 2015 article in the local press describes an incident in a Kenosha bar, during which an intoxicated 24-year-old man by the name Jacob Blake drew a gun during a quarrel with another patron. When police later stopped Blake's car, he resisted arrest and was injured by a police dog.

Neither piece of information justifies the shooting, contrary to what some commenters on Twitter have proclaimed. But those facts may be relevant in explaining what happened with Blake on Sunday night. Mainstream media articles have largely avoided mentioning those details, however.

There is a sentiment shared by many supporters of Black Lives Matter protests that bringing up a black person's criminal record is a dirty right-wing trick, only carried out by apologists for police brutality.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) said in a statement that the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

In further developments, the National Guard has been called to Kenosha.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has announced that scores of National Guard troops will be deployed to the city of Kenosha by Monday evening as violent riots continue over the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake seven times.

"This is a limited mobilization of the National Guard focused on supporting the needs of local first responders to protect critical infrastructure, such as utilities and fire stations, and to ensure Kenoshians are able to assemble safely," Evers said.

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New footage from moments before Blake was shot has emerged showing him fighting with the police who were trying to restrain him. Blake also had open arrest warrants for sexual assault and domestic violence, however, it is unknown if the police were trying to apprehend him for that reason. Witnesses also say the police attempted to use a taser on Blake prior to the shooting.

Kenosha Police issued this statement to CNN:

"As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident. We ask that you withhold from passing judgment until all the facts are known and released."

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