Jacob Blake shooting: Hundreds protest at ‘Justice for Jacob’ rally in Kenosha

On August 29, hundreds of protesters marched and demonstrated for ‘Justice for Jacob’ flooding through Civic Center Park in Kesha, US.  overcrowded rally was organized by family members of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot by police in Wisconsin in ar gory incident of police brutality based on prejudice and racial profiling. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, were among host of activists and supporters that took center st in an estimated crowd between 1,000 and 2,000 in rally for 29-year-old, according to reports. 

Shot ‘seven times, with seven bullets’ last Sunday by Kesha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, incident stirred an outpouring of public angst and fury, including NBA boycott. Demonstrators demanded inquiry and answers to why a white officer had needed to use a gun against a black civilian. Furr, fueling speculations about a high profile shooting by US police forces with an intention to cause civil unrest and state disturbance, a probe was launched against state authorities and Kesha police department, as per local reports. Many angles, including near silence of police department despite allegations of violence and systemic racism, and shooting by officer leaning into Black man’s SUV while he was unarmed has led protesters to interpret it as a deliberate attempt by police of causing harm. Resonating chants of "One person, one vote!" and " justice, peace,” crowd, accompanied by Blake’s family members and close relatives, gared outside a Wisconsin courthouse to pitch reforms and deunce police forces. 

"What gave m right to attempted murder on my child? What gave m right to think that my son was an animal? What gave m right to take something that was t irs? I'm tired of this. re were seven bullets put in my son's back, hell yeah, I'm mad,” Blake Sr. was quoted by AP news ncy as saying.

In a passionate public address, Blake's far, Jacob Blake Sr., gave an impassioned call to “reform” police system that fosters brutality against people of colour. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said, “Justice is a bare minimum,” adding, “Justice should be guaranteed to everybody in this country.” Blake Sr. urged crowd to raise fists, saying, "We are t going to stop going in right direction. We're going to top, we're gonna make legislation happen because that's only thing that y recognize.” Referring to George Floyd’s death on May 25 due to alleged racial discrimination leading to use of excessive force by Minneapolis’ “white” police officers on Black man, Blake Sr. said, “We all have a knee on back of our necks, every day.”

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Two demonstrators shot dead

A week into incident, a wave of demonstrators seeking justice have resort to streets chanting slogans, holding placards that read mess of Black Lives Matter. According to a news ncy report, at least two demonstrators were shot dead amid protests so far. Blake, also reportedly has a history of a previous criminal warrant, but last week, Kesha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two or officers responded to a domestic dispute call when Sheskey shot Blake while he was allegedly heavily sedated. A former police chief in Salt Lake City, Chris Burbank was quoted by AP as saying, “ times have changed. What you may have done even a year ago doesn’t work w. We need to recognize public outcry that is taking place and need for information.” Meanwhile, questions about delayed arrest in relation to two protesters also surfaced, which Wisconsin police declined at a news conference.

[More than a thousand people gared in Kesha for a march and rally against police violence, about a week after an officer shot Jacob Blake in back seven times, leaving 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. AP Photo/Morry Gash]

[Jacob Blake's far, Jacob Blake Sr. wears a justice for Jacob mask at a rally Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Kesha, Wis. More than a thousand people gared Saturday in Kesha for a march and rally against police violence. AP Photo/Morry Gash]

[Hundreds march at a rally for Jacob Blake Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Kesha, Wis. AP Photo/Morry Gash]

[Police clear a park during clashes with protesters outside Kesha County Courthouse late Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Kesha, Wis., during demonstrations over Sunday shooting of Jacob Blake. Credit: AP]

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(Im Credit: AP)