As National attention is drawn to Kenosha after Jacob Blake was shot 7 times in the back by police, “Here and Now’s” Will Kenneally reports on the ongoing protests and calls for change.
Copy and Paste the Following Code to Embed this Video:
Kenosha Residents Protest for Jacob Blake
Frederica Freyberg:
National attention was drawn to Kenosha this week as police shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back. Will Kenneally reports on the ensuing protests and calls for change.
Will Kenneally:
A Black man shot by police, an all-too familiar story happened in Kenosha Sunday, turning the city upside down and attracting global attention once again.
Jacob Blake Sr.:
They shot my son. Seven times. Seven times. Like he didn’t matter. But my son matters.
Will Kenneally:
Police were trying to arrest Jacob Blake, shooting him as he entered his car. He survived, but his family said he’s paralyzed and the incident sent Kenosha reeling. Protests continued throughout the week, ranging from peaceful to violent.
Police:
Please clear the roadway.
Will Kenneally:
Culminating Tuesday night when a 17-year-old was shown on video fatally shooting two demonstrators and injuring a third. The Illinois teenage now faces multiple charges including two counts of murder.
Daniel Miskinis:
Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I’m not going to make a great deal of that. But the point is the curfew is in place to protect. Had persons not been out involved in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.
Will Kenneally:
Tensions were further raised by images of police handing out water to armed militia at the protests.
Police:
We appreciate you guys. We really do.
Will Kenneally:
The erosion of trust in the system led demonstrators to call for holistic change.
Woman:
If the system requires further investigation other than visual proof and multiple witnesses, then we don’t want the system.
Man:
That’s right.
Woman:
Period.
Michael Bell:
The system, the system, the system is broken.
Will Kenneally:
Michael Bell lost his son to a Kenosha police shooting in 2004. Since then, he has worked to reform how police investigations are handled.
Michael Bell:
That’s why it’s so important to have an outside agency conduct this. So if you really want to know the truth about what’s going on, you have to do that.
Will Kenneally:
Right now, the state Department of Justice is leading the investigation into the shooting. It was announced earlier in the week that the FBI would launch its own civil rights investigation.
Josh Kaul:
Having topnotch investigators who handle a lot of these cases and are expert in investigating them I think is a good process.
Will Kenneally:
That is not enough for protestors.
Woman:
We want the officers who shot Jacob Blake in the back, we want them fired, we want them arrested, and we want them prosecuted.
[cheers]
Will Kenneally:
The investigation could take up to 30 days and will ultimately be in the hands of the Kenosha County DA whether to file charges against the officer. Community organizers say people can take change into their own hands by showing up to local government meetings and continuing to pressure officials.
Woman:
Right now we’re kind of stuck with the list of options that are on the ballot for November. But there is elections every year. People here, you have the power to stand up and represent your community. Consider running for office. Consider finding somebody to represent you.
Will Kenneally:
Reporting from Kenosha, this is Will Kenneally for “Here & Now.”
Frederica Freyberg:
To call public attention to changing the pattern and practice of police officers, the Milwaukee Bucks this week boycotted one of their games. They had a phone call with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to understand the particulars of the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha officer.
Passport
Follow Us