Trump to visit Kenosha as anti-racism rally continues

August 30, 2020 - U.S. President, Donald Trump said he will be visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin next week as protesters continue to join the mile-long march chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace”.

The shooting of Blake, in front of three of his children, turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of U.S.-wide demonstrations against police brutality and racism.

Trump, who has taken a hardline stance against the protests, will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet law enforcement officials and assess damage, a White House official told reporters.

“The thing I’d like to tell Mr. President is that Black Lives Matter members are not the thugs, not the looters,” said Clyde McLemore, founder of a BLM chapter just outside of Kenosha. “He’s blaming us, and that’s not the way it is.”

Anger at Blake’s shooting, captured on video that went viral, led to street skirmishes; protesters hurled firecrackers and bricks at police in riot gear who countered with tear gas and rubber bullets.

On Tuesday night a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, killing two of them.

In Kenosha on Saturday, people painted messages of unity on boards protecting storefronts after many businesses were burned to the ground in arson attacks and vandalism.

Residents hoped calm would hold for a fourth night as protesters, some wearing “Justice for Jacob” masks, spoke about the need for racial justice.