Published 11:56 IST, August 30th 2020
Jacob Blake shooting: Hundreds protest at ‘Justice for Jacob’ rally in Kenosha
Jacob Blake was shot ‘seven times, with seven bullets’ by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, the incident stirred an outpouring of public angst and fury.
On August 29, hundreds of protesters marched and demonstrated for ‘Justice for Jacob’ flooding through the Civic Center Park in Kenosha, US. The overcrowded rally was organized by the family members of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot by the police in Wisconsin in another gory incident of police brutality based on prejudice and racial profiling. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, were among the host of activists and supporters that took center stage in an estimated crowd between 1,000 and 2,000 in the rally for the 29-year-old, according to reports.
Shot ‘seven times, with seven bullets’ last Sunday by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, the 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. Further, fueling speculations about a high profile shooting by the US police forces with an intention to cause civil unrest and state disturbance, a probe was launched against the state authorities and Kenosha police department, as per the local reports. Many angles, including the near silence of police department despite allegations of violence and systemic racism, and shooting by the officer leaning into the Black man’s SUV while he was unarmed has led the protesters to interpret it as a deliberate attempt by police of causing harm. Resonating chants of "One person, one vote!" and "No justice, no peace,” the crowd, accompanied by Blake’s family members and close relatives, gathered outside a Wisconsin courthouse to pitch reforms and denounce police forces.
"What gave them the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? I'm tired of this. There were seven bullets put in my son's back, hell yeah, I'm mad,” Blake Sr. was quoted by AP news agency as saying.
In a passionate public address, Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr., gave an impassioned call to “reform” the 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 the crowd to raise fists, saying, "We are not going to stop going in the right direction. We're going to the top, we're gonna make legislation happen because that's the only thing that they recognize.” Referring to George Floyd’s death on May 25 due to alleged racial discrimination leading to the use of excessive force by the Minneapolis’ “white” police officers on Black man, Blake Sr. said, “We all have a knee on the back of our necks, every day.”
Two demonstrators shot dead
A week into the incident, a wave of demonstrators seeking justice have resort to streets chanting slogans, holding placards that read the message of Black Lives Matter. According to a news agency report, at least two demonstrators were shot dead amid the protests so far. Blake, also reportedly has a history of a previous criminal warrant, but last week, Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other 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, “The times have changed. What you may have done even a year ago doesn’t work now. We need to recognize the public outcry that is taking place and the need for information.” Meanwhile, questions about the delayed arrest in relation to two protesters also surfaced, which the Wisconsin police declined at a news conference.
[More than a thousand people gathered in Kenosha for a march and rally against police violence, about a week after an officer shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times, leaving the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. AP Photo/Morry Gash]
[Jacob Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr. wears a justice for Jacob mask at a rally Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. More than a thousand people gathered Saturday in Kenosha 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 Kenosha, Wis. AP Photo/Morry Gash]
[Police clear a park during clashes with protesters outside the Kenosha County Courthouse late Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., during demonstrations over the Sunday shooting of Jacob Blake. Credit: AP]
(Image Credit: AP)
Updated 11:55 IST, August 30th 2020