Gov. Tony Evers deployed the Wisconsin National Guard to assist local law enforcement agencies with protests following the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.
Evers, a Democrat, confirmed that 125 members of the National Guard would be deployed to Kenosha, the city where Blake, a 29-year-old black man, was shot several times by police officers during an arrest on Sunday. The governor said they would be tasked with protecting infrastructure from vandalism and looting as well as ensuring the safety of firefighters working in the area.
“This is a limited mobilization of the National Guard focused on supporting the needs of local first responders to protect critical infrastructure, such as utilities and fire stations, and to ensure Kenoshians are able to assemble safely,” Evers said on Monday.
The Kenosha Police Department issued a curfew just after midnight early Monday morning that lasted until 7 a.m. The department sent a notice to the public via text message, noting that the curfew was caused by “numerous armed robberies and shots fired calls.” The department announced that the curfew would be reinstated at 8 p.m. on Monday evening.
— Kenosha Police Dept. (@KenoshaPolice) August 24, 2020
Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, said that the National Guard members are prepared to manage the tasks they were given by the governor.
“Serving our fellow Wisconsin citizens and assisting civil authorities during times of need is one of core missions in the National Guard,” Knapp said. “Our Citizen Soldiers and Airmen are well-trained and prepared to assist in any way we can in an effort to preserve public safety.”
Kenosha was the site of protests and riots on Sunday night after the video of Blake’s shooting went viral. Several fires were set during the riots, and tear gas was used by police to enforce a curfew that was implemented in the city. One officer was hit with a brick during the riots.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned the governor’s decision to deploy the Wisconsin National Guard, despite the riots on Sunday night.
“Deploying the National Guard in response to people exercising their right to protest is unnecessary. People in Kenosha have a constitutional right to express their indignation over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, as well as to demand an end to the epidemic of police violence that has systematically harmed and killed Black and brown people for generations,” the ACLU of Wisconsin said in a statement.
Blake was shot in the back several times by officers, leaving him in serious condition. Video from the scene shows Blake walking away from officers and entering his vehicle when he was shot at close range. Blake’s family said his three children were in the car and witnessed the shooting. The exact details of the shooting are unclear. Both the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol are investigating the shooting.
