The nation has experienced almost non-stop protests since the death of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of police officers. Now, after Kenosha law enforcement fired seven shots into Jacob Blake’s back at point blank range last Sunday, people are again calling for justice and police reform.
This week, multiple protests are planned in the Tampa Bay area in response to the Blake shooting, which his father says left him paralyzed. On Thursday, August 27, protesters will gather at St. Pete City Hall at 7 p.m. “We ask you to stand with him and his family in solidarity against police violence!” says a post on the St. Pete Peace Protest Facebook page.
Then, on Friday, August 28, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society is hosting a protest at 5:30 p.m. on the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue. “Enough is enough, and we have to demand justice for victims of police violence across the country and here in Tampa!” says the Instagram post.
This event will also highlight the shooting of Joseph Jonas, who was killed by five Tampa Police officers who fired 125 rounds at the 26-year-old Black man’s Chevrolet Impala following a traffic stop.
Nationwide, protests have erupted since the Jacob Blake incident, with NBA teams calling for a strike in the middle of the current playoffs, as well as MLB games being postponed.
But arguably the biggest flashpoint came after Kyle Rittenhouse, a pro-police white teenager armed with a semiautomatic rifle, was charged with killing two protesters.
Despite the fact he shot and killed multiple people in the presence of law enforcement, Rittenhouse was not apprehended at the scene of the crime, and was reportedly given bottled water by local police officers. He was later arrested at his home of Antioch, Illinois, about 20 miles southwest of Kenosha.
The appearance of law enforcement giving preferential treatment to right-wing counter protesters is something Tampa Bay activists are extremely familiar with. On Aug. 9th, Black Lives Matter protesters were arrested for painting a sidewalk in downtown Tampa. This came days after pro-police supporters illegally blocked off a city street and painted an un-permitted "Back the Blue" mural in front of police headquarters. No charges have been announced for the organizers of the pro-police mural.
Not to mention there's also the incident from a July 4 protest, where Noah Armstrong drove his car through a crowd of protesters. TPD announced it was finally seeking reckless driving charges towards Armstrong. However it's worth noting that it came nearly two months later. There's also a June 21st incident where a driver hit local organizer Jae Passmore, and a June 27th incident where a driver hit protester Stuart Flores. No charges have been announced in either case.
CORRECTION: This article previously said Passmore was involved in the incident with Armstrong. CL regrets the error.
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This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2020.