Protesters hit California streets over Wisconsin shooting
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Protests have been held in California's capital and in Los Angeles over the shooting of a Black Wisconsin man, and there were scattered reports of vandalism.
More than 150 people marched through downtown Sacramento Thursday night, KCRA-TV reported. Many wore black and some had helmets.
The station said several windows in downtown businesses were smashed, the City Hall was sprayed with graffiti, several other city buildings were vandalized, and there was at least one small fire set in the street.
The crowd dispersed late Thursday without any arrests made, Sacramento police said on Twitter. Officers were expected to stay downtown overnight and would be following up with vandalism reports.
Earlier Thursday evening, another group of about 150 people chanting, “Say his name: Jacob Blake!” marched through downtown and briefly halted at the state Capitol before peacefully dispersing, the Sacramento Bee reported.
Tisa Johnson of Sacramento came with her 15-year-old daughter, S’maya Johnson.
“I hate that I have to keep coming out here” to protest the deaths of Black people, Tisa Johnson said. “I want to show up and bear witness and be counted.”
In Los Angeles, protesters showed up at Police Chief Michel Moore’s home in a gated community and plastered the house with anti-police posters, KABC-TV reported.
Blake, 29, was shot in the back seven times on Sunday by police in Kenosha as he leaned into his SUV, in which three of his children were seated. A family attorney on Tuesday said Blake was paralyzed, and it would “take a miracle” for him to walk again.
Thursday night's demonstrations followed confrontations with police the previous night that ended with some arrests.
Late Wednesday night in Los Angeles, a group of protesters vandalized buildings with graffiti and clashed with police in a downtown tunnel. A KABC-TV news helicopter showed objects being hurled as officers struggled with individuals. KTTV-TV reported that 10 people were taken into custody.
In Oakland, the police department tweeted that 600 to 700 people took part in protests where “numerous fires (were) set, dozens of windows broken, (and) multiple businesses vandalized.” Protesters threw objects at officers but none were injured, the department said. Several people were arrested.
Calling them “violent protesters,” police said they vandalized and set a fire at the Alameda County Superior Court building. Police photos showed fireworks and burning trash cans.
