07/02/2023

Rampant arson and looting continued in Kenosha, Wisconsin for a second night, as rioters focused their destruction on small businesses

Rampant arson and looting continued in Kenosha, Wisconsin for a second night, as rioters focused their destruction on small businesses in residential neighborhoods.
Just after 11 PM local time, rioters set fire to a warehouse at the end of a street that was next to a row of houses. Footage showed the fire and the videographer warning residents to call the fire department given the delayed response times.
WATCH:
Rioters are setting fires in residential neighborhoods in Kenosha. pic.twitter.com/ZlcablwJbr
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 25, 2020
Rioters also torched a youth Department of Corrections facility.
The Department of Corrections building in Kenosha is completely ablaze. pic.twitter.com/ugC6hBtSMz
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 25, 2020
As the fires burned shots rang out as some business owners and, reportedly, even some protesters, began trying to turn arsonists away from the small businesses and residential neighborhoods.
Shooting breaks out in Kenosha as rioters torch entire businesses. pic.twitter.com/eKCN8sFsx6
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 25, 2020
When confronted by a citizen who asked them why they were channeling their anger at police by hurting local businesses, protesters countered by saying that this was their way of dealing with the police.
Rioters argue with a local business owner in Kenosha, justifying their violence. pic.twitter.com/mTjuXmShOO
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 25, 2020
For the second night in a row, Antifa appeared in Kenosha with firearms.
Antifa appears to be arming up with firearms in Kenosha. pic.twitter.com/TcMnP4PQbo
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 25, 2020
The violence sweeping across Kenosha was triggered by an incident on Sunday evening where police officers responding to a domestic incident shot a black man seven times in the back as he walked away from them and refused a lawful order to stop,
WATCH:
This just happend in Kenosha, WI. 💔#BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/QLW7Vxtdzm
— chrizi (@nolimitchrizi) August 23, 2020
As the AP reports:
In the video posted on social media that appeared to show the shooting from across a street, three officers could be seen shouting and pointing their weapons at the man, who appeared to be Black, as he walked around the front of an SUV parked on the street. As the man opened the drivers side door and leaned inside, one officer grabbed his shirt from behind and then fired into the vehicle. Seven shots could be heard on the video, though it was unclear if more than one officer fired.
Following the shooting, social media posts showed neighbors gathering in the surrounding streets and hurling comments at police. Some could be heard chanting, ‘No justice, no peace.’
The National Guard was called in by the governor to help quell the violence. Jacob Blake, the man shot by the police, is receiving care at a local hospital.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn