Our own Julio Rosas is on the ground in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Black Lives Matter rioters have taken to setting trucks on fire. Unlike Minneapolis, the National Guard has arrived. In one tweet, Rosas reported “the situation degraded as a large BLM protest group showed up at the Kenosha County Courthouse. Rioters in the crowd started to throw projectiles at the officers, who responded with tear gas.”
BLM march now going through the residential area of Kenosha. pic.twitter.com/2xf9EZvn91
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
Police deploy tear gas outside the Kenosha County Courthouse after multiple warnings to the crowd to stop throwing objects at the cops. pic.twitter.com/CXKmgly4s2
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
Police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse continue to fire less-than-lethal ordinance as rioters throw projectiles at them. pic.twitter.com/YhaMPxuoSG
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
Police push back some agitators by firing pepper balls and the formation moves up to establish a bigger perimeter outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. pic.twitter.com/IKmERJAmOe
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
The situation degraded as a large BLM protest group showed up at the Kenosha County Courthouse. Rioters in the crowd started to throw projectiles at the officers, who responded with tear gas. pic.twitter.com/KvVwm3GA6N
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
A rioter poured gasoline on a Kenosha garbage truck and set it on fire. pic.twitter.com/sjf7A6np03
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
The garbage truck fire got pretty big as a police armored truck drove by. pic.twitter.com/aMdly9Gheg
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
A different rioter tried to set another Kenosha garbage truck on fire. pic.twitter.com/7jf2O0MjN0
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
??????: Finally spotted the National Guard deploying to downtown Kenosha. pic.twitter.com/HphTjim4WG
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
As Republicans wrapped up night one of their convention with a hopeful message about the future of America, Democrats are preparing to head out for another night of rioting
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) August 25, 2020
The Kenosha County Courthouse is ground zero for the mayhem, with police doing what they can to bring order to the situation while also establishing a defensive perimeter around the building.
“Police push back some agitators by firing pepper balls and the formation moves up to establish a bigger perimeter outside the Kenosha County Courthouse,” said Rosas.
The mayhem erupted after another police-involved shooting was caught on video showing police shoot Jacob Blake several times with his young children witnessing the event. Blake is in critical condition but expected to survive. Blake reportedly was trying to break up a fight between two women prior to being shot (via WaPo):
Wisconsin’s governor on Monday called in the National Guard to help quell unrest after police shot an unarmed Black man in the latest incident this summer to stir cries of injustice and divide a nation over the urgency of bringing fundamental change to law enforcement.
Police shot Jacob Blake, who witnesses said had been trying to break up an argument between two women, as he walked back toward his silver SUV on Sunday, an officer trailing behind. As three of Blake’s sons looked on from the vehicle, the officer fired seven times toward Blake’s back at close range.
The incident was caught on video, which immediately ricocheted across the Internet.
Blake remained hospitalized in serious condition on Monday, with family members saying he was expected to survive. The officers involved were placed on administrative leave.
Please follow Rosas for more updates on the situation on the ground.