KENOSHA, Wis.- Some Kenosha citizens are concerned that a plan planned by President Donald Trump after the riots caused by the Jacob Blake police shooting cause more excitement, violence and destruction in the divided southeastern city of Wisconsin after several days of peace.
Others, however, welcome the president’s trip, scheduled for Tuesday, when he is wounded and meets with the police, as protesters call for the officer who shot Blake to be fired and charged with attempted murder, and more than a week later.The government said a 17-year-old from northern Illinois shot and killed two protesters.
Tensions started on August 23 after a video showed a Kenosha police officer shooting Blake, a black man, in the back whilst responding to a domestic dispute call.All last week, Black Lives Matter protesters staged occasions to call for adjustments in police, and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers convened a special consultation of the Legislature on Monday to take a series of police reform measures.But Republicans are not contemplating taking prompt action.
Volunteers and businesses worked Sunday to put out fires and vandalism that destroyed buildings and brought surviving restaurants, grocery stores and hair salons to board.
Kenosha police said Sunday that they have arrested 175 other people since the protests began in the dormitory net between Chicago and Milwaukee, 102 of which arrived from Kenosha outdoors, adding 44 other cities.theft, possession of illegal drugs and carrying concealed weapons without a license, authorities said.More than 20 firearms were seized.
Relatives say Blake, 29, is paralyzed, and a lawyer said his colon and small intestine had been removed.His circle of relatives led a giant nonviolent protest saturday, just before Trump announced his goal of making a stopover.Evers sent Trump a letter urging him not to come, saying the scale in “will only keep our paintings to succeed over the department and move forward together.”
But Kenosha County Council supervisors also wrote to Trump to urge him to cancel.
“The Kenoshans are suffering and leaders, and their leadership in these times of crisis is greatly appreciated by those who have been devastated by the violence in Kenosha,” says the letter from seven supervisors.
Trump has no symptoms of backing down, tweets about the riots in Kenosha and says, “I’ll see you Tuesday!”
Diana Kreye, a 60-year-old Brighton resident, said Trump exploits the conflict.
“I don’t like everything being a proper politician,” said Kreye, a voter who wasn’t sure.”Let the city recover. This is not the time to do a photo shoot.”
But Angel Tirado, 42, believes Trump’s scale might help.”I hope you say anything that might calm us all down, ” said Tirado.”Maybe he’ll join us.”
Others doubt that the president would close divisions and point to his recent tweets and his record of racist comments.
“He doesn’t come here to heal,” said David Sanchez, 66, a retiree and resident of Kenosha, who expects thousands of others to come forward to protest Trump.”It’s about Kenosha to create more problems. I don’t care what I do.”says.”
“He hasn’t done anything in the last three years to bring other people together,” said Raymond Roberts, 38, a knowledge specialist and war veteran in Afghanistan.”It’s a leading county in a leading state.It all depends on your re-election.”
Throughout the summer, Trump sought to label American cities besieged by violence and anarchy, even though most protests against racial injustice were peaceful.
Still, it’s highly likely that Trump will be in a county he won in 2016 with fewer than 250 votes.
On Sunday, an organization of about a hundred police supporters gathered in the city center for a “back to blue” rally.That’s a fraction of the duration of a Saturday demonstration against police violence that attracted some 1,000 people.
Also on Sunday, some Trump supporters walked past the burning buildings and shouted that the Black Lives Matter motion was a “terrorist organization.”
Oscar Escobar, 41, a Kenosha resident who owns a moving company and co-owns a bar and grill, said he doesn’t align with Democrats or Republicans.He said that’s what Trump plans to visit.
“I think it’s smart for him to show that he cares about what’s going on here in Kenosha and not turn his back and leave us alone,” Escobar said.
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AP Jennifer Peltz in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.
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Associated Press Russell Contreras is a member of the AP Race and Ethnicity Team.Follow Contreras on Twitter on http://twitter.com/russcontreras
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