Armed citizens moved to defend businesses in Kenosha Monday night as rioters torched the city, targeting businesses for the second night in a row.
Protests swept the city as arsonists brazenly targeted businesses. Jorge Ventura, a field reporter for the Daily Caller, was on the scene and caught up with armed citizens attempting to stop the angry rioters from destroying businesses:
"F*** you, you ain't with us" woman yells at armed man who is attempting to stop the mob from looting and vandalizing #Kenosha businesses pic.twitter.com/FkDlqz9w4N
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
“Nobody fuck with the business owners,” one man said in a video showing two armed men walking beside a building.
“They’re probably with you. Fuck with the government,” another shouted.
“These guys [business powers] are probably out here with the BLM protesters,” one of the men, hailing from Milwaukee, told Ventura. “They don’t want the government to shoot people. They’re against the government too, probably. The government fucks them every day. Taxes, shit like that.”
He made it clear that he believes the officer-involved Kenosha shooting incident is “bullshit” but drew the line at protesters destroying businesses:
Three armed men attempted to protect #Kenosha businesses from being looted and vandalized. #Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/wxcJnqLsnz
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
Several videos from reporters on the ground show protesters vandalizing businesses and buildings completely engulfed by flames:
Dealership cars being smashed with baseball bats by mob #Kenosha pic.twitter.com/CHBGtn1UAz
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
A city in flames tonight. #Kenosha pic.twitter.com/SzOhMJTNF0
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
Local businesses set to flame in #Kenosha pic.twitter.com/nOb29M5Bu5
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
Furniture store in #Kenosha set ablaze by mob. #Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/m4amzmCE68
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) August 25, 2020
KENOSHA: dozens of vehicle fires were set by #BLM arsonists in Wisconsin tonight
Explosions rocked the neighborhood as fuel tanks combusted due to the flames pic.twitter.com/u3pyKzkzfp
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
KENOSHA: The city is burning tonight as dozens of cars have been engulfed in flames after being targeted by #BLM arsonists
This is only one city block, but there were many other vehicles around the city completely destroyed
More than 40 at the very least pic.twitter.com/kJ6qCCqlUf
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 25, 2020
BREAKING: Kenosha is once again on fire as National Guard are deployed
a curfew was recently put in place after a state of emergency was declared pic.twitter.com/UjAm2SeWgp
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 25, 2020
Another Kenosha garbage truck has been set on fire. pic.twitter.com/hfymZ2FdJW
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 25, 2020
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) appeared to stand in solidarity with protesters, referring to the officer-involved incident, which is still being investigated, as “another attack against a Black man” and declaring racism a “public health crisis.”
“As folks across our state are making their voices heard, they should be able to assemble and report on these issues without any fear of being unsafe. If you are exercising that right, please do so peacefully, wear your masks, and keep physical distance as best as you can,” he said on Monday, prior to the second night of lawlessness:
As folks across our state are making their voices heard, they should be able to assemble and report on these issues without any fear of being unsafe. If you are exercising that right, please do so peacefully, wear your masks, and keep physical distance as best as you can.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
Pete Deates, president of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, blasted Evers for his initial response to the incident, calling it “wholly irresponsible and not reflective of the hardworking members of the law enforcement community, not to mention the citizens of the City of Kenosha.”
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