"The cops involved in the shooting of Jacob Blake... were attempting to arrest him for violating a restraining order stemming from an alleged sexual assault..."

The NY Post reports.

Blake, 29, was forbidden from going to the Kenosha home of his alleged victim from the May 3 incident, and police were dispatched Sunday following a 911 call saying he was there.

I can't tell whether the woman is black. Does it matter?

The responding officers were aware he had an open warrant for felony sexual assault, according to dispatch records and the Kenosha Professional Police Association, which released a statement on the incident on Friday.

That police union statement also claimed that Blake was armed with a knife at the time of the shooting — and had put one cop in a headlock and shrugged off two Taser attempts while resisting arrest....

"'This is an insult to injury,' one of Blake's uncles told media Thursday. 'He is paralyzed and can’t walk and they have him cuffed to the bed. Why?'"

"During an appearance in Kenosha on Thursday, Gov. Tony Evers said he 'couldn't imagine' why handcuffing a paralyzed man 'would be necessary.' I would hope that we would be able to find a more, a better way to help him … in recovering. That seems counterintuitive. It seems to be bad medicine."

From "Family says Jacob Blake is handcuffed to his hospital bed; has retained Racine Attorney Patrick Cafferty" (madison.com).

Here are some possibilities that I can imagine: 1. It's not true that Blake is handcuffed to the bed, 2. It's not true that Blake is fully paralyzed, 3. There's a concern that others might help Blake escape, 4. Blake is capable of doing dangerous things with the part of his body that is not paralyzed.

Also at that article, we get some additional information about Blake: "According to a criminal complaint, at around 6 a.m. on May 3, Blake entered his ex-girlfriend's home the 2800 block of 40th Street — the same block where he was shot three months later — in an attempt to retrieve his property. While there, Blake is accused of having penetrated the woman with his fingers." They should add "without consent"! That's what makes it a crime. The crime is sexual assault. In other words, rape. He deserves to be under arrest, and he resisted arrest vigorously. There is reason to feel empathy for any human being who suffers a grievous injury, but let's not forget about the seriousness of the charge of rape!

I need to read the criminal complaint.  Here (boldface added):

"Just got attacked by an angry mob of over 100, one block away from the White House. Thank you to @DCPoliceDept for literally saving our lives from a crazed mob."

Rand Paul tweeted 7 hours ago.

He's getting pushback. I'm seeing tweets like: "We all saw the tape! No one 'attacked' you. They were protesting, and yelled at you while you were cowering behind a police escort." And: "The video proved that @randpaul is a liar. This was a stunt to send to #FoxNews." Where's the video? I see this, but I don't know what portion of the incident it shows.

There's also this tweet: "See, if the police provided this sort of protection to every person of color instead of firing bullets in their back, people would not be protesting in the first place." It seems to me, the reason the police were on the scene in the Jacob Blake incident was that they came to protect a woman who had called them. The woman had made a call and the call was responded to. Does this tweeter want the police to provide protection or not? If a woman calls and asks for help in a domestic situation, should the police leave her to handle her own problem?! Whatever happened to concern about violence against women?

ADDED:

Maxine Waters: “And if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere.” pic.twitter.com/1efIW8VI3e

— Kelb Hull (@CalebJHull) August 28, 2020

Just a knife.

Seeing a lot of people say Jacob Blake was "armed," and thus his shooting was justified. According to DOJ, there was a knife on the floorboard of the car he was trying to enter, but he had no other weapons on him. https://t.co/oH6432izaW

— Christian Schneider (@Schneider_CM) August 27, 2020

"An organizer of the rallies held to support Black lives and condemn police brutality also condemned rioters who’ve destroyed property and those who have committed violence..."

"... leading to the recent killings of Kenosha area men in the city she was born and raised in. At a peaceful gathering, that included barbecue for anyone at Civic Center Park Wednesday night, Porche Bennett, 31, a Kenosha native and local business owner, honored the memory of two Kenosha-area men who were shot and killed Tuesday. The men were allegedly shot and killed by a 17-year-old Antioch boy who came armed to the city amid the organized protests and later rioting that has broken out since Sunday night after the Kenosha Police officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. While Kenosha police did not name the boy, he was identified as Kyle Rittenhouse by Antioch authorities. A third man who was shot suffered non-life threatening injuries.... 'Now I need everybody to put a fist in the air for our boys that we lost,' said Bennett.... 'They came out here every time with us. Sweet. Loving. They were the sweetest hearts, souls. I called Anthony my hippie guy... They were sweet guys. We knew all three of them, but he [Anthony Huber] was the one who would always come up to me. Always would be right by me.... [I]f you’re here after curfew, we’re not going to have anything to do with you... Point blank. Period. So, if you’re out here after curfew, that is on you with those on. They’re not associated with us. If you’re out here after curfew, you are not associated with us. This is what we do. Peaceful stuff... We get out here hang out together and be peaceful and demand justice. So, if you want to remain safe, we’re asking you all, please we’re asking you all we don’t want to have what we had last night.... If you’re out after curfew … we’re not responsible for whatever happens to you.... I hate to say it that way, but it’s reality.... I don’t want to see that with nobody else. Yes, I’m happy the young man got arrested. It shouldn’t have gotten to that. I don’t want to see that no more.... We’re already protesting for Jacob, now we got to deal with this … I’m tired of all of that.... Whoever stays out here, you’ll learn the difference.... There are two different types of people.... That ends today. Either you’re here to be peaceful and do that for the cause and do what’s right or just don’t come because we’ve got to rebuild this. We live here, you guys get to go home to a pretty little city.... We’ve got to wake up to this now."

The Wisconsin State Journal reports.

The word "boy" is used twice to refer to Rittenhouse — by the newspaper — and the "organizer" uses the word "boys" to refer to the men who were shot to death.

Bennett obviously realizes that those who want to be known as peaceful protesters must disconnect themselves from the violence that takes place after curfew. But notice that she did not say If you’re out after curfew, we’re not responsible for the things you do. She said, "If you’re out after curfew … we’re not responsible for whatever happens to you." She's referring to people like  Kyle Rittenhouse who might show up in an unpredictable effort to do what the police have failed to do and protect the town's businessowners.

"White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Tuesday night that Gov. Tony Evers turned down an offer of federal help from President Donald Trump to help quell the outbreak of violence in Kenosha."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

"We have a National Guard standing by that if the general for the National Guard needs additional help, we're there to do it," Meadows said. "But today, that request was denied by the governor."

The Democratic governor deployed the National Guard to Kenosha on Monday and doubled the size of the deployment to 250 on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Evers did speak with both Meadows and Trump but Meadows was offering help from the Department of Homeland Security, not the National Guard, according to the Evers administration. Evers declined because more Guard members were already been sent there....

“Everyone should be able to exercise their fundamental right — whether a protester or member of the press — peacefully and safely,” [Evers] said in a statement. “We cannot allow the cycle of systemic racism and injustice to continue. We also cannot continue going down this path of damage and destruction.”

Also at the Journal Sentinel this morning:

Kenosha Police said early Wednesday morning that two people had been shot and killed and a third injured during protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake.... The shooting came on the third night of violent protests that have torn through Kenosha after a police officer shot Blake from behind at close range while he was getting in a vehicle. Since then, buildings have been burned, windows smashed out and stores looted.

ADDED: I’d like to see descriptions of what the National Guard were doing in Kenosha last night. There were 250? Why wasn't that effective? Today, I see:

In a letter Wednesday, Kenosha County Board Chairman John O’Day and Vice Chairwoman Monica Yuhas specifically requested 1,500 National Guard members with police powers to be sent to Kenosha County. The members wrote on behalf of the county board, stating that the “county is in a state of emergency” and the extra law enforcement is needed to “preserve and save” the region.

“Our county is under attack,” the board wrote in the letter. “Our businesses are under attack. Our homes are under attack. Our local law enforcement agencies need additional support to help bring civility back to our community.”

"As I was riding through here, through the city, I noticed a lot of damage. It doesn’t reflect my son or my family."

"If Jacob knew what was going on as far as that goes, the violence and the destruction, he would be very unpleased. So, I really asking and encouraging everyone in Wisconsin and abroad to take a moment and examine your hearts. Citizens, police officers, fireman, clergy, politicians, do Jacob justice on this level and examine your hearts. We need healing. As I pray for my son’s healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually, I also have been praying even before this for the healing of our country. God has placed each and every one of us in this country because he wanted us to be here. Clearly, you can see by now that I have beautiful brown skin, but take a look at your hand and whatever shade it is, it is beautiful as well. How dare we hate what we are? We are humans. God did not make one type of tree or flower or fish or horse or grass or rock. How dare you ask him to make one type of human that looks just like you? I’m not talking to just Caucasian people, I am talking to everyone. White, black, Japanese, Chinese, red, brown, no one is superior to the other. No one is superior to the other. The only supreme being is God himself. Please let’s begin to pray for healing for our nation. We are the United States. Have we been united? Do you understand what’s going to happen when we fall? Because a house that is against each other can not stand. To all of the police officers, I’m praying for you and your families. To all of the citizens, my black and brown sisters and brothers, I’m praying for you. I believe that you are an intelligent being just like the rest of us. Everybody, let’s use our hearts, our love, and our intelligence to work together, to show the rest of the world how humans are supposed to treat each other. America is great when we behave greatly."

Said Julia Jackson, the mother of Jacob Blake.



ADDED: "Jacob Blake's mother tells Don Lemon she has 'the utmost respect' for Trump" (Washington Examiner)("I have the utmost respect for you as the leader of our country").