Wisconsin Protests

Around 5pm on August 23, police in Kenosha Wisconsin received a call about a domestic dispute that resulted in Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African American man, being shot seven times. An innocent civilian caught the situation on video and it began trending on the internet from there.

August 25th, Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, who was carrying an AR-15 in Kenosha, killed two men and injured one other and is now facing criminal charges for illegally possessing the firearm he had. He is not a resident of Kenosha.

The situation now has turned into a major political back and forth with both parties taking different standpoints.

At the Republican National Convention, Trump publicly denounced “Democrat-run cities” like Kenosha and Portland, Oregon. He has praised the fact that federal agents were sent into Kenosha to try and settle things down. A White House official said Sunday, August 30, that “without the leadership of President Trump, Kenosha and its citizens would still be living in fear.” 

President Trump visited Kenosha in person on September 1, but the Wisconsin governor asked Trump to “reconsider” his visit to the city.

“I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state,” Tony Evers, the Governor of Wisconsin  wrote in a letter to President Trump, according to CBS Milwaukee affiliate WDJT. “I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together.”

 Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes also had some input on the situation.

“There is too much good starting to happen in Kenosha. The city was on fire and we need healing, not a barrel of gasoline rolling in,” said Barnes.

As of August 30, the Mayor of Kenosha, John Antaramian requested $30 million in state funding from Governor Evers for rebuilding the city. 

Antaramian added, “We’re asking the state and community partners to help rebuild what was lost and to invest in programs and training for our young people.”