You might ask why he would call it "rioting" when Black people are protesting police brutality, but "celebrating" when sports fans set fire to their cars because their team won a game. It's worth bringing this up when your uncle tries to invalidate protestors for not being "peaceful" on your weekly family Zoom. Since then, segregationists have used accusations of "looting" to paint largely peaceful protests as dangerous mobs, Vox explains. have protected private property from damage or theft in order to keep Black people enslaved, according to PBS. NPR explains that words like looting and rioting have deeply racist histories: Laws written since the founding of the U.S. As Black Lives Matter protests unfolded over the summer, many people choose to focus on destruction of property, rather than the destruction of lives that sparked the protests in the first place. Clearly, Richards was referring to the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha police officer Rusten.
It might be just a word, but talking about looting at Black Lives Matter demonstrations is far from harmless. This was a Holy God moment to end all Holy God moments.
Below, you can find a petition to sign, an email to write, a conversation to have, and places to donate or volunteer if you want to make a difference. Today, justice was not served.”ĭespite these events, you can still take action in support of Blake. “This officer will continue with his career with the mistaken belief that he has done no wrong, while Jacob Blake will remain paralyzed and left to deal with the consequences of this officer’s actions. “This continues the cycle of enabling police violence and evading accountability when they seriously injure and harm a Black person,” he said. "It is my decision now that no Kenosha law enforcement officer will be charged with any criminal offense based on the facts and laws," Graveley said, per CNN.Ĭhris Ott, executive director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, expressed disappointment over the decision in a statement. These funds will go toward Jacob’s medical bills, family expenses, legal representation, support for his children and therapy costs. We are looking to raise funds to supplement the moral support and prayers we have been receiving. Graveley announced that his office would not bring charges against Rusten Sheskey, the officer who shot Blake, or the two other officers involved in the shooting, CNN reported. Jacob Blake is a loving father of 6 that deserves proper medical attention and legal representation. Following the shooting, the 29-year-old was paralyzed from the waist down, and multiple cities saw another wave of protests against police violence. This week, you might be solely focused on ways to create justice for Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officers in August of last year. However, no one died in the Pennsylvania shooting, unlike in Wisconsin Tuesday night.Īll of the above was unfolding amid months of nationwide protests against police violence and racism and what is often times the deadly combination of both following the high profile police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.Even if you follow the news as much as your mental health can handle, it can be hard to know what issues to focus on. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have A Dream Speech.” Activist Frank Nitty posted a Facebook live video claiming that “some white man came out and started shooting at us.” to participate in the “Get Off Our Necks” Commitment March against police brutality on Friday, the 57th anniversary of the legendary March on Washington when the Rev. Tuesday night was the second time in as many nights that a white man was reported to have shot at people protesting police violence.Ī protester was shot Monday night in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, as a group of activists was walking from Milwaukee to Washington D.C. Protests since then have turned violent, with two people killed and one injured on. None of the victims had been publicly identified as of Wednesday morning. Jacob Blake, 29, was shot and injured by police on Sunday as he leaned into his car and as his children watched. Another shooting victim at Tuesday night’s protest was shot in the chest, according to the Associated Press.