Violent and destructive Black Lives Matter riots continued to wreak havoc in Kenosha, Wisc., on Monday night following a police shooting of a black man on Sunday. Rioters continued to loot, pillage, and burn while others charged at police officers and national guardsmen, setting off fireworks and using umbrellas as weapons. Fed-up citizens who agree with the Black Lives Matter movement geared up to defend homes and businesses, carrying guns and wearing armor to intimidate rioters.
“That attempted murder of that citizen was wrong,” one young man geared up to defend property in Kenosha said of Jacob Blake, the black man shot on Sunday. “And I’m all for protest, but you can’t be destroying your neighbors’ houses and businesses.”
A black woman rioter yelled at him in response.
Civilian militia did a better job protecting private property in Kenosha than the police/national guard
It’s amazing what surrounding a small business w/ a few good men strapped w/ powerful weapons can do to maintain peace@VenturaReport is on the groundpic.twitter.com/TxQbX6UNt4
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
“We’re trying to stop them from hurting their own community, man,” one of the armed citizens told Townhall’s Julio Rosas.
This is the moment I mentioned earlier. These armed citizens said they support the protests but not the riots because people are hurting their own community.
Later on, as a car dealership was under attack by rioters, one of the armed men stepped in and stopped it. pic.twitter.com/uSqprPXkSW
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
These citizens put themselves in harm’s way to protect their neighbors’ homes and businesses from destructive rioters.
‘Like a Scene Out of Hell’: Armed BLM Rioters Loot, Pillage, and Burn Kenosha Following Police Shooting
Kenosha riots, part 2
On Sunday night, the riots began outside the Kenosha Police Department. On Monday night, it appears they began outside the Kenosha County Courthouse.
“Rioters used umbrellas to advance towards the Kenosha County Courthouse to throw projectiles and fireworks, police then used less-than-lethal rounds to make them fall back,” Rosas tweeted. His videos showed the National Guard defending the courthouse.
The National Guard is helping the Sheriff’s Department guard the Kenosha County Courthouse. pic.twitter.com/Tb2jVnqzey
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
Police used tear gas to break up the mob.
Police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse continue to fire less-than-lethal ordinance as rioters throw projectiles at them. pic.twitter.com/YhaMPxuoSG
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
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Later, the mob went from business to business, breaking in and looting. Rioters broke into and looted Budget Motors.
"Budget Motors" in #Kenosha is being vandalized by mob. Mutiple people breaking and entering. #Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/dNtAKwx1zp
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
Rioters broke into Boost Mobile. According to a video captured by Brendan Gutenschwager, a woman triumphantly shouted, “I got the phone cases!” as she exited the looted business.
“I got the phone cases!” A woman cheers as Boost Mobile is looted in Kenosha tonight #Kenosha #KenoshaRiot #KenoshaWi pic.twitter.com/OGH9tH0ZQy
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 25, 2020
Rioters also used baseball bats to smash street lights and crosswalk signals in their unguided rage.
Rioters use baseball bats to smash street lights & crosswalk signals through downtown as the crowd moved away from the courthouse #Kenosha #KenoshaRiots #KenoshaProtests pic.twitter.com/mGlbvHomjd
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 25, 2020
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Rioters set cars on fire. Blaze TV’s Elijah Schaffer estimated that at least 40 cars had been destroyed on one city block alone.
KENOSHA: The city is burning tonight as dozens of cars have been engulfed in flames after being targeted by #BLM arsonists
This is only one city block, but there were many other vehicles around the city completely destroyed
More than 40 at the very least pic.twitter.com/kJ6qCCqlUf
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
Videos show wanton fires and destruction.
It’s not even midnight in Kenosha, Wisconsin #KenoshaRiots #Kenosha #KenoshaProtests pic.twitter.com/R7MKiogr0Q
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 25, 2020
Schaffer shared before and after photos of B&L Office Furniture, one of the small businesses torched in the riots.
This is B&L Office Furniture in Kenosha, Wisconsin
before & after the #BLM riots on Monday night
This is a small business
a place where people work
Sitting on a property somebody invested in
This is real America
All destroyed by heartless criminals pic.twitter.com/XCFhASw6it
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
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A fire at a mattress store reportedly spread to a bodega and a Mexican restaurant.
Neighbors say that they saw people setting fire to a mattress store. It appears to have spread to a bodega and Mexican restaurant, possibly more.
— Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) August 25, 2020
One of the rioters pointed a pistol in Shaffer’s face as he recorded the riots on the ground.
HOLY SH*#: while interviewing this #BLM rioter in Kinosha he pulls out a real pistol and points it at my camera while explaining what we would do to cops if they rolled up on us right now
It’s been a while since I had a gun pointed at me even if it was just to make a point pic.twitter.com/hjQqO9Ccbb
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
Some citizens tried to explain to the rioters that “people have their lives in these businesses,” but the rioters would not listen. “A furniture store is the police? A dealership is the police?” a local man asked. “We’ll burn your shop down, too!” the rioters shouted as he drove away.
“We’ll burn your shop down too.”#Kenosha #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/m41xhcbowt
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 25, 2020
The rioters left a post-apocalyptic hellscape in their wake.
SWAT teams and tactical units arrive to try to get the situation under control #KenoshaRiots #Kenosha #Kenoshapolice pic.twitter.com/HmhbVbr37m
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 25, 2020
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Governor refuses to condemn the violent riots
Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wisc.) addressed the shooting of Jacob Blake in a press conference on Monday, championing the Black Lives Matter movement and police reform but refusing to condemn the violent riots.
He did manage to fit in a dig at “Republican leadership” in the state legislature, calling for a special session to pass police reform legislation. “This is not the time for politics,” he added after condemning Republicans. “We must rise to this movement and this moment [with] a fierce commitment to disrupt the cycle of systemic racism and bias.”
“We also stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with black Wisconsinites,” the governor said. “We are all reminded that racism is a public health crisis.”
He did address protesters directly at one point, saying that if Wisconsinites decide to protest, “please do so peacefully, and please wear your masks and keep social distance as best you can.”
It is despicable that Evers did not once condemn the destructive and violent riots that left Kenosha burning on Sunday night. It seems unlikely he will denounce the riots on Monday night, either.
Gov. Evers and Lt. Gov. Barnes Address WIsconsinites Following Kenosha Shooting
Posted by Governor Tony Evers on Monday, August 24, 2020
Tyler O’Neil is the author of Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Follow him on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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