Jacob Blake’s uncle arrested at protest over police officer’s return to work

‘It’s like a heavyweight fight, somebody’s going down, it’s not going to be us,’ Justin Blake says

Jacob Blake’s uncle was one of three protesters arrested during demonstrations against the police officer who shot Mr Blake returning to work.

Justin Blake was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer on Sunday after blocking the entrance to the Kenosha County Public Safety Building.

According to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department (KCSD), the three people arrested had posted bonds and were no longer in police custody as of noon on Monday.

On 23 August 2020, Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer, Rusten Sheskey, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, spurring on racial justice protests around the country ignited by the murder of George Floyd. Mr Blake, 29, was left paralysed from the waist down.

Mr Sheskey recently returned to work after being cleared of all wrongdoing. Justin Blake told CNN that the family had not been informed that the officer was going back to work after being put on administrative leave.

Justin Blake told CBS 58 that he thinks he was singled out by the arresting officers.

“My two brothers who I love dearly in good trouble ... didn’t get that much attention, didn’t get that much aggressiveness that we received,” he said.

“I’m on my way to get an X-ray to see if my shoulder is ok from the whole incident last night.

“We’re in the fight ... It’s like a heavyweight fight, somebody’s going down, it’s not going to be us,” he added.

After a peaceful march, around 25 protesters congregated in front of the entrance to the Public Safety Building. According to the KCSD, the entrance is the only way for members of the public to get to the sheriff’s department, the police department, or Kenosha Joint Services.

The group shrunk to around 10 people over the next few hours, and KCSD said officers asked the group to move as several people came to the building and turned around or had to be escorted into the building.

Four people were sitting by the entrance at 10pm. After deputies got to the scene, one protester left, and the remaining three were arrested.

Issuing a statement on Monday, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said the department was working to get a better relationship “with all of Kenosha”, but he remained sceptical of the motives of some of the protesters, saying: “We are always open to constructive communication; however, we cannot effectively communicate with those that seek a spotlight to create and further facilitate a false narrative.”

He added “Community growth, building relationships, these ideas need to be our focus, not creating barriers.

“Kenosha Police will not respond to demands, nor will we entertain the unlawful termination of a police officer.”

The Sunday rally called for the firing of Mr Sheskey, CBS 2 Chicago reported. Some protesters were holding signs calling for charges to be filed against the officer.

“We’ll continue to demand justice until we find justice,” the father of Mr Blake, Jacob Blake Sr, said.

Despite arresting three protesters, KCSD said it “recognises and respect the rights of the citizens of Kenosha County to demonstrate peacefully”.

“These targeted arrests of the three protesters that were blocking the door to the Public Safety Building should not ignore that the majority of people today had been out for hours during an incredibly peaceful protest,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.