Kenosha police and the Wisconsin National Guard were more aggressive in handling demonstrations Wednesday night, following three days of unrest and a shooting Tuesday night that left two dead and one severely injured.
Kenosha News reports that Kenosha police began enforcing the 7 pm curfew against demonstrators before rioters and looters had the opportunity to take advantage of planned protests.
“Curfew went into effect at 7 p.m. Wednesday, an hour earlier than previous nights, although marchers still moved through the streets chanting without much hassle from law enforcement. Sundown occurred just after 7:30,” Kenosha News reported.
Protesters claimed that police “surrounded” vehicles and “yanked out” drivers, and in at least one case, allegedly spirited away demonstrators, claiming to be from a group feeding protesters, in an “unmarked” van.
“Our whole Riot Kitchen crew, who had been in Kenosha today to feed protesters, has just been violently arrested by feds in unmarked vans,” a board member of Riot Kitchen 206, a group that sets up tents and food lines for those participating in anti-racism demonstrations and for homeless individuals, said on social media.
“My friends who have done nothing but good for people have just been kidnapped and we are trying to find them,” the board member added. “Please help us. You’ve seen what we do and what our mission is. We want to feed people. We want to help the revolution. They smashed the window of one of our cars and threw people on the ground. No crimes were committed.”
Riot Kitchen, however, was out after curfew and law enforcement sources tell The Daily Wire that the group entered Kenosha in two buses, carrying what appeared to be cans of gasoline and other accelerants. Riot Kitchen says those items were actually supplies for food preparation.
“Citizens need to be off the streets for their safety. Curfew will be enforced,” Kenosha police said in a statement.
Brandon Gutenschwager, who has been documenting the protests as “BG On The Scene,” was also approached by law enforcement, he says.
“‘It’s after curfew, I need to see ID,’ one officer told Gutenschwager, who was one of the individuals who recorded video of Tuesday night’s deadly shootings,” Kenosha News reported. “He was allowed to leave after showing he was documenting the scene and was not an active demonstrator.”
Local media reports that “large demonstrations,” even those that broke curfew, were being left alone. The final demonstrations ended around 10 pm local time.
The White House has pledged 1,000 National Guard troops and at least 200 additional federal agents from across the Department of Justice if Wisconsin needs the assistance. Wednesday night, though, marked the first night where protests were not marred by more violent behavior. It also marked the first time Kenosha police and the state’s Attorney General released details about the officer-involved shooting that triggered the unrest.
The Illinois teen who shot three protesters Tuesday night has been arrested and will be extradited to Wisconsin Friday where he will be charged with “first-degree intentional homicide.”