Jacob Blake's uncle, 2 others arrested after sit-in protest in Kenosha
Updated: 04/26/2021 04:34 PM
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Three protesters, including Jacob Blake's uncle, were arrested during a protest in Kenosha Sunday night, April 25. They were staging a sit-in outside the Kenosha County Public Safety building.
Protesters are demanding that Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey be fired for shooting Jacob Blake seven times in the back in August of 2020. Sheskey returned from administrative leave earlier this month. Along with his firing, protesters want the department to publicly apologize for not alerting the Blake family of Sheskey’s return prior to the announcement.
According to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department, Justin Blake, Rev. Jonathan Barker of Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha and Joseph Cadinali were arrested for disorderly conduct. Justin Blake was also charged with obstructing an officer.
CBS 58 News was there and captured the arrests on camera.
The sheriff's department said the protest, which started around 4 p.m., remained peaceful but was blocking the doors to the entrance of the Kenosha County Public Safety Building. When the crowd dwindled to a group of ten, officials "attempted to compromise" with the group to have them stop blocking the entrance.
Officials say several citizens came to the Public Safety Building and had to be escorted through a secure employee entrance or became dissuaded due to the entrance being blocked.
At 10 p.m., the sheriff's department says four protesters remained seated in front of the doors and three more were off to the side of the entrance as deputies arrived. One of the four protesters are the door stood up and removed herself. The remained three, Blake, Barker, and Cardinali, were arrested and booked into the Kenosha County Jail.
All three posted bond Monday, April 26, and were released.
Blake believed he was singled out by the arresting officers.
“My two brothers who I love dearly in good trouble, Joe and Pastor Donovan didn’t get that much attention, didn’t get that much aggressiveness that we received,” Blake told CBS 58. “So I’m on my way to get an x-ray to see if my shoulder is ok from the whole incident last night.”
Blake said despite the arrest, he is remaining resilient.
“We’re in the fight,” Blake said. “So it’s like a heavyweight fight, somebody’s going down, it’s not going to be us.”
A news release from the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department says in part:
"Sheriff David Beth and the Kenosha County Sheriff s Department recognizes and respect the rights of the citizens of Kenosha County to demonstrate peacefully their right to free speech and assembly. 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. Sheriff Beth reminds everyone, citizens have the right to peacefully protest on public property but cannot block access to a government building for other members of the public preventing the departments within the Public Safety Building from carrying out their functions for those community members not involved."
Kenosha Police Department Chief Daniel Miskinis shared the following statement:
Published: 04/26/2021 01:12 PM
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Three protesters, including Jacob Blake's uncle, were arrested during a protest in Kenosha Sunday night, April 25. They were staging a sit-in outside the Kenosha County Public Safety building.
Protesters are demanding that Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey be fired for shooting Jacob Blake seven times in the back in August of 2020;.
According to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department, Justin Blake, Jonathan Barker, and Joseph Cadinali were arrested for disorderly conduct. Justin Blake was also charged with obstructing an officer.
CBS 58 News was there and captured the arrests on camera.
The sheriff's department said the protest, which started around 4 p.m., remained peaceful but was blocking the doors to the entrance of the Kenosha County Public Safety Building. When the crowd dwindled to a group of ten, officials "attempted to compromise" with the group to have them stop blocking the entrance.
Officials say several citizens came to the Public Safety Building and had to be escorted through a secure employee entrance or became dissuaded due to the entrance being blocked.
At 10 p.m., the sheriff's department says four protesters remained seated in front of the doors and three more were off to the side of the entrance as deputies arrived. One of the four protesters are the door stood up and removed herself. The remained three, Blake, Barker, and Cardinali, were arrested and booked into the Kenosha County Jail.
All three posted bond Monday, April 26, and were released.
A news release from the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department says in part:
"Sheriff David Beth and the Kenosha County Sheriff s Department recognizes and respect the rights of the citizens of Kenosha County to demonstrate peacefully their right to free speech and assembly. 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. Sheriff Beth reminds everyone, citizens have the right to peacefully protest on public property but cannot block access to a government building for other members of the public preventing the departments within the Public Safety Building from carrying out their functions for those community members not involved."
Kenosha Police Department Chief Daniel Miskinis shared the following statement: