Anti-police protesters armed with powerful rifles confronted an armored SWAT vehicle as Kenosha, Wisconsin, was left in flames following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, alarming footage shows.
A line of protesters is seen blocking the path of a Sheriff department BearCat vehicle in the early hours of Monday morning as at least two in the crowd approached with AR-style weapons, according to the footage posted by reporter Drew Hernandez.
“Get me a gas mask!” one of the armed men shouts as he prowls around the armored vehicle, appearing so twitchy that another rifle-carrying protester warned him not to point it straight at the officers.
“They’re gonna deploy,” someone in the crowd calls out — as one of the officers opens the hatch and throws the first of several tear gas grenades out to ultimately clear the path.
Other footage also caught by Hernandez shows looting and a library completely smashed up — as well as rows of cars in flames in what he called “like a scene out of hell.”
One fire was also filmed raging around a large Black Lives Matter sign.
“A perfect summary of the chaos in America in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Welcome to the Mob’s America,” The Columbia Bugle tweeted.
The violence erupted after protesters first gathered at the scene where 29-year-old Jacob Blake was shot several times in the back by a police officer as he tried to get into his car with his kids, according to reports.
Protesters soon clashed with officers dressed in riot gear, who occasionally used their shields and batons to push people back.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Sunday night condemned the arrest where Blake was “shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight.”
“While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country,” he wrote.
“We stand with all those who have and continue to demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country.
“In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long,” he insisted.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is investigating the shooting, did not release any details about the officers who were involved except to say they had been placed on administrative leave.
*story by The New York Post