05 Jan 2021 | 11:33 PM UTC
US: Activists in Kenosha, Wis., likely to protest prosecutors' Jan. 5 decision to not charge officers in an Aug. 23 police-involved shooting /update 1
Activists in Kenosha, Wis., US, to protest prosecutors' Jan. 5 decision to not charge officers in an Aug. 23 police-involved shooting.
Event
Protests are likely in Kenosha, Wis., following a decision by local prosecutors Jan. 5 to not bring charges against any officers involved in the Aug. 23, 2020 police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. Demonstrators will likely rally outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, the Kenosha Police Department in the downtown area, and other nearby locations, such as Civic Center Park. Protests may also occur near the site of the shooting incident at the intersection of 40th Street and 28th Avenue.
A major deployment of security forces is underway. National Guard units have been mobilized in Kenosha, and state and local police are likely to maintain a heavy presence in the area through at least Jan. 10. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces are possible. Demonstrators could engage in acts of vandalism, arson, and other forms of property damage.
Context
Following the initial Aug. 23 incident of an officer-involved shooting of an African-American man, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Kenosha Public Safety Building, which houses the Police Department, and clashed with officers. Numerous businesses were vandalized late Aug. 23 and early Aug. 24, and three people were shot - two fatally - during the protests on Aug. 25.
Advice
Avoid all demonstrations as a standard security precaution. Exercise caution if traveling near the protest-affected areas, especially in downtown Kenosha. If violence breaks out, leave the area immediately and seek shelter in a nongovernment building. Strictly heed instructions from authorities. If you encounter a roadblock do not cross it; wait for police to reopen the road.
