Sacramento protests planned in solidarity with Jacob Blake

Sacramento activists are planning several protests and rallies in reaction to the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.

Justice Unites Communities and Individuals Everywhere, an activist group, is organizing a solidarity rally that will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Cesar Chavez Plaza in Sacramento.

The event will be followed by a protest at 8 p.m. in the same location. The “Solidarity with Kenosha” protest has called for attendees to wear black clothing without logos and face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Another “Solidarity with Kenosha” protest with the same recommendations is expected to begin at 8 p.m. on Friday in Cesar Chavez.

The events have been organized as protests continue in Kenosha, turning violent. A 17-year-old from Antioch, Illnois, was arrested Wednesday after he was accused of shooting and killing two protesters and injuring another Tuesday night.

Blake, who was transported to a hospital in critical condition, has been left partially paralyzed, according to his lawyer.

The civil unrest continues after months of protests regarding racism and police brutality broke out following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day.

It wasn’t until the Saturday following Floyd’s death that Sacramento experienced the large-scale protests that were going on across much of the country.

It’s unclear how many people plan to attend the protests and rallies on Thursday and Friday in Sacramento.

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership warned businesses to close by 8 p.m. Thursday and issued a traffic warning for the area around Cesar Chavez Plaza, due to the events.

“Continue to secure and remove all valuable items from outside visibility,” the partnership’s statement said.

Other events calling for justice for Jacob Blake happened earlier in the week in Sacramento, with a rally in Cesar Chavez park Tuesday evening held by JUICE and a rally outside the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday led by the family of Stephon Clark.

“Everyone here, you are a part of a new civil rights movement,” Se’quette Clark said. Clark’s son was killed by police in 2018.

In the sports world, athletes have protested in solidarity with Blake, leading to postponed NBA, WNBA and MLB games.