Protests over the shooting of an unarmed Black man by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin turned violent on Tuesday, 25 August, when people of Wisconsin turned to streets for the third day in a row to show support for Jacob Blake.
While the protesters were demonstrating against the police brutality, one person was killed and two people were injured in the violence, reported Reuters.
As the unrest grew, the police resorted to firing tear gas at hundreds of protesters who defied the curfew.
Who is Jacob Blake and What Led to Protests?
Jacob Blake is a 29-year-old Black man who was shot several times by a police officer in the back while opening the door of his car in Kenosha on Sunday, 23 August. The Wisconsin police department stated that they were responding to a domestic incident by an unknown caller.
As per the family lawyer, Jacob Blake has been left paralysed from the waist down. Jacob’s family stated that he has been ‘fighting for his life,’ reported BBC.
Democratic Governor Tony Evers declared state of emergency, drawing in flak for calling out 125 members of the National Guard on Monday, 24 August, after protesters set cars on fire, smashed windows and clashed with officers in riot gear.
Jacob Blake’s shooting has once again sent shock waves across the United States. America has already been grappling with the mistreatment of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, and it has widened the questions about racism in United States of America, since the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
(With inputs from BBC and Reuters)
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