Jacob Blake Is Fighting for His Life. Here's How to Help Demand Justice
On Sunday afternoon in Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officers pulled up to a residential street to address a domestic incident. It was there that officers would be caught on video firing seven shots at the back of Black man as he attempted to get into his silver SUV. Witnesses say he was there to break up the dispute between two women. Three of his children were in the car and watched as their father was shot. His name is Jacob Blake, and he is currently fighting for his life.
Update, 8/25: Blake's dad, the elder Jacob Blake, says that his son is paralyzed from the waist down, and there's no telling whether the paralysis will be permanent, according to TMZ. Earlier, en route to visit his son, the elder Blake said: "“I want to put my hand on my son’s cheek and kiss him on his forehead, and then I’ll be OK...I’ll kiss him with my mask. The first thing I want to do is touch my son." He says his son has "eight holes" in his body, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
The 29-year-old is in serious condition at a hospital in Wauwatosa. The police officers involved have been placed on leave, and the city of Kenosha declared an emergency curfew after late-night protests continued into the early morning.
This is 29-year-old Jacob Blake who was shot by Kenosha police. His fiancé shared this picture with us. pic.twitter.com/6Si9lkCPFu
— Sarah Thamer (@SarahThamerWISN) August 24, 2020
"Jacob is out of surgery and in ICU," wrote Blake's cousin on Twitter. "We will continue to pray as he fights. We will not excuse the actions of the Kenosha Police department, but his mother asks everyone to please remain peaceful."
According to The Washington Post, the Wisconsin Department of Justice will investigate the shooting. It's another series of events that rings all too familiar following the unlawful killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and many more.
No matter where you are located, there are many ways you can demand justice for Jacob Blake. Here's how you can help.
How can I help demand justice for Jacob Blake?
Sign the petition calling for justice for Jacob Blake here.
Donate to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund which is assisting protesters in Kenosha with bail funds, here.
Call or email a handful of Kenosha state officials from this list created by Twitter user @ankita_71, here.
Split a donation between bail funds across the country here.
Donate to Black Lives Matter here.
Sign the Black Lives Matter petition to #DefundThePolice here.
Donate to the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of Black organizations across the U.S., here.
Register to vote for upcoming elections in your state, here.
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