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Kenosha Police Reveal Most Riot Arrests Were From Outside The City

   DailyWire.com
ENOSHA, WI - AUGUST 26: Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis speaks during a news conference at the Kenosha County Public Safety Building on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Miskinis spoke about the recent looting, the fatal protest shooting and Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back multiple times by police officers who were responding to a domestic dispute call Sunday. Photo by Joshua Lott for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Joshua Lott for The Washington Post via Getty Images

In a report issued Monday, Kenosha, Wisconsin, police said it has arrested 175 people in connection with riots and looting in the city following a police-involved shooting that left a 29-year-old black man in critical condition.

Of those 175 arrests, more than 100 were of individuals who live outside of the city. Of all, 44 different cities were represented, according to local Kenosha media outlets.

“Most of the people arrested in demonstrations against police brutality since the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha were not city residents, according to police,” the Chicago Tribune added. “Of the 175 people arrested during protests in Kenosha since Blake was shot in the back Aug. 23, leaving the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed, 102 have addresses outside of Kenosha, including 44 different cities, police said in a statement Sunday night.”

The majority of arrests were for minor violations like failure to comply with a government-ordered curfew and disorderly conduct, but Kenosha police say a number of individuals were arrested for things like burglary, possession of illegal drugs, and possession of a concealed weapon.

Police also seized “more than 20 firearms.”

The arrest record seems to substantiate claims made to media by Kenosha residents who said they believed most of the looters and rioters were outside agitators.

Wisconsin’s Democrat Governor Tony Evers also pointed out the presence of “out-of-state instigators” in his letter to President Donald Trump begging the president to cancel a planned Tuesday trip to Kenosha, but it is likely Evers was referring to Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old who shot three people during the riots last week and alleged to be a member of vigilante force that descended on Kenosha to confront suspected looters and rioters.

“It is our job as elected officials to lead by example and to be a claiming presence for the people we know are hurting, mourning, and trying to cope with trauma,” Evers said in his letter. “Now is not the time for divisiveness. Now is not the time for elected officials to ignore armed militants and out-of-state instigators who want to contribute to our anguish.”

Among those arrested by Kenosha police were members of “Riot Kitchen,” a Portland-based organization that claims affiliation with “anti-fascist” organizations but says it shows up to protests to feed hungry demonstrators and members of the local homeless community. The group, which arrived in Kenosha in two buses, was detained and then arrested by both the Kenosha Police Department and the Wisconsin National Guard.

Although Riot Kitchen claimed police brutality, suggesting that they had been singled out for their agenda and their out-of-state license plates, Kenosha police revealed that the Riot Kitchen crew was carrying “multiple fuel cans,” and attracted officer attention with what appeared to preparations for violence.

“The officers exited their vehicles, identified themselves, were wearing appropriate identification, and then detained the occupants of the bus and bread truck,” the police reported. “The minivan attempted to drive away; however, Kenosha Police stopped this vehicle and ultimately forced entry to the minivan and arrested the occupants. The vehicles contained various items that included helmets, gas masks, protective vests, illegal fireworks, and suspected controlled substances.”

Nine people were arrested and are reportedly among those out-of-state agitators charged with disorderly conduct,

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