On Sunday, police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot a sexual assault suspect who reportedly resisted arrest. Within hours, hundreds of rioters assembled within the city and began a spree of burning and destruction. They committed all manner of felony-stupid violence including looting businesses, attacking the police and starting fires in the small midwestern city.
It all began with the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. He had reportedly refused to submit to arrest. Officers likely knew of his past felony weapons convictions, including one in 2015 in which he threatened people at a bar with a gun. He resisted arrest in that incident as well.
This time he ignored police commands once more, acting as though he was just going to get back in his car and drive away. Or grab a pistol and shoot his way out of an arrest. Because that always goes so well for suspects.
Either way, it didn’t go well for Blake. You be the judge whether he was reaching into the car for a gun or to drive away.
Within minutes of the shooting, a hostile crowd formed. The scene became chaotic and quickly escalated.
Making matters worse, some people live-streaming the the action called for violence rang the dinner bell for Chicago-area Antifa and Black Lives Matter rioters to make their way north.
🆘ALERT🆘 Police have executed a black man in #Kenosha Wisconsin. A crowd is forming. Take proportionate actions. This is one hour from Chicago. [We don’t advise watching video; posted as evidence] pic.twitter.com/fxoDbag78a
— Vitalist International (@VitalistInt) August 24, 2020
Before the sun had set, the “mostly peaceful” protesters had the backing of Wisconsin’s Governor Tony Evers. He condemned the police without even waiting for the evidence to be examined or an investigation to take place.
Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
While trying to secure the scene around the shooting, the situation grew increasingly tense. And as police tried to extract themselves, the crowd threw more than expletives at them. The mob hurled rocks, bottles and bricks at the cops. They even knocked one out cold.
The mob cheered and applauded at the downed officer. Eventually, the police brought in an armored vehicle and the mob didn’t back down one bit.
#BREAKING: Someone just threw some type of incendiary weapon that set multiple fires at scene @KenoshaPolice officer-involved shooting. Law enforcement have just shown up in riot gear & a military vehicle. #Kenosha @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/bFNnEA8RSo
— Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) August 24, 2020
Amazingly, the mob continued to grow increasingly brazen. One special operator armed with a rifle confronted an armored Sheriff’s Department vehicle.
BREAKING: Rioters corner police with assault weapons in Wisconsin
— Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) August 24, 2020
At about 1:40 in that video, shots rang out.
Later, hundreds of “mostly peaceful” masked pillagers set upon destroying as much of Kenosha as they could. They trashed the library, the courthouse and other government buildings.
In the end, many businesses were seriously damaged or destroyed including this car dealership located not far from the county courthouse.
Up close look at the car dealership fire set by BLM arsonists in Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/Mv1CC7htiD
— Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) August 24, 2020
Note that the church sign in front of the car lot didn’t dissuade rioters from torching the place.
Protesters are still out and about in Kenosha Wisconsin. Reports say that looting has begun. Unofficial reports say that #JacobBlake is still alive and may be in stable condition (unconfirmed). #jacobblake #justiceforjacobblake pic.twitter.com/hrACBOL7zm
— mrmikefrost (@sumbodysaidthat) August 24, 2020
The looting and burning escalated enough that the Governor finally called in the National Guard, though the violence continued last night.
From the Associated Press:
Police first fired tear gas Monday about 30 minutes after the 8 p.m. curfew took effect to disperse protesters who chanted, “No justice, no peace” as they confronted a line of officers who wore protective gear and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the courthouse entrance. But hundreds of people stuck around, screaming at police and lighting fires, including to a garbage truck near the courthouse.
Tensions had flared anew earlier Monday after a news conference with Kenosha Mayor John Antarmian, originally to be held in a park, was moved inside the city’s public safety building. Hundreds of protesters rushed to the building and a door was snapped off its hinges before police in riot gear pepper-sprayed the crowd, which included a photographer from The Associated Press.
This mayhem shows that nowhere in America is immune from this kind of chaos and destruction. At least in areas where Democrats run the show locally.