Kenosha is in the crosshairs of Donald Trump’s cynical attempt to inflame more political violence, in order to boost his saging campaign.
Concern grows that president’s planned visit could agitate largely peaceful protests after the police shooting of Jacob Blake
By Jacob Blake
Concern was growing on Sunday that a tense but peaceful situation prevailing in Kenosha for the last four days and nights could be inflamed by a planned visit from Donald Trump this week, in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the city last Sunday.
California Democratic congresswoman Karen Bass said on Sunday that she thought the violence that erupted in Kenosha on Tuesday night was “absolutely horrible”, following the police shooting, which was also caught on video.
Trump has been increasingly positioning himself in terms of an election campaign centered on cracking down on unrest, even as he appeared to egg on Trump supporters who drove in a huge procession into Portland, Oregon, on Saturday night and shot paintballs and pepper spray at protesters, buy retweeting video of the incident.
And he tweeted simply “Law and order” on Sunday morning.
In fact, Bass told CNN she thinks “he is going to do everything to disrupt law and order” in order to try to win re-election by sowing division and fear.
The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence.
Trump has been running his reelection campaign on a law-and-order mantle, denouncing protesters as “thugs” while voicing his support for police.
This is a very strongly worded letter from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers:
Office of the Governor State of Wisconsin pdf
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY August 30, 2020
Dear President Trump:
I understand yesterday you indicated you would be visiting Kenosha, and according to pool reports last night, that you intend to visit Kenosha this Tuesday. I write today to respectfully ask you to reconsider.These past few months, from managing a pandemic to facing entrenched racial disparities and inequities,our state—like so many others—has faced unimaginable challenges. But this past week has been particularly difficult. Kenosha and communities across Wisconsin are enduring extraordinary grief,grappling with a Black man being shot seven times and the loss of two additional lives on Tuesday night at the hands of an out-of-state armed militant. When I visited Kenosha last week, what I saw was a community working to deal with the trauma and pain of these events and extreme loss. They are exhausted and heartbroken with the division that has ripped apart their community, but they are also already working to rebuild, together, and support each other in the face of adversity. I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state. I am concerned. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together. It is our job as elected officials to lead by example and to be a calming presence for the people we know are hurting, mourning, and trying to cope with trauma. Now is not the time for divisiveness. Now is not the time for elected officials to ignore armed militants and out-of-state instigators who want to contribute to our anguish. Moreover, as the Kenosha community continues their recovery efforts, I am likewise concerned that an in-person visit from you will require a massive re-direction of these resources to support your visit at a time when it is critical that we continue to remain focused on keeping the people of Kenosha safe and supporting the community’s response.
Protesters face police line in Kenosha
The protesters Trump is sure to draw would be a tempting target for violent white supremacists to use to spread mayhem, and divisiveness.
