Push Admin

UN: Jacob Blake shooting highlights need to eradicate racism-policing links

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/afp/08/26/20200824-jacob-blake-shooting-afp-s.jpg"/><figcaption>Demonstrators march in New York to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake who was shot in the back multiple times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. A video showing Wisconsin police shooting a black man in the back in front of his children sparked outrage across the United States on Monday, with officials calling in the national guard as they girded for a second night of violent protests. Timothy A. Clary, AFP</figcaption></figure></div>GENEVA - The shooting of African American Jacob Blake by US law enforcement was a painful reminder of the need to eliminate links between policing and racism, a United Nations spokesman said Friday.The force used against Blake appears excessive and it seems highly likely it could have been discriminatory, said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.Anti-racism protesters were planning to flood the streets of Washington on Friday, after the shooting of Blake rekindled outrage over police violence and sparked a boycott movement in the sports world.&quot;This really tragic episode reaffirms the need for urgent action to eradicate linkages between structural racism and policing,&quot; Colville told reporters in Geneva.Blake, 29, was shot multiple times in the back on Sunday as he tried to enter his car during a confrontation with police in the Midwestern city of Kenosha.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/multimedia/photo/08/26/20/us-protesters-condemn-death-of-jason-blake">US protesters condemn Jacob Blake shooting</a></li></ul>Authorities said police were attempting to arrest Blake and had tried to subdue him with a stun gun. They added that a knife had been found in his car.His shooting is a &quot;painful reminder of how African-Americans continue to be exposed to differentiated and heightened risk when engaging with law enforcement bodies in the United States,&quot; Colville said.&quot;From the images available that we&#x27;ve seen at this point, the police appears to use force against Jacob Blake that would seem to be excessive.&quot;And it does not appear that law enforcement officers abided by the international standard for the intentional use of lethal force with a firearm.&quot;It also seems highly possible that the force used against Blake could be discriminatory in nature.&quot;[BOLD] &#x27;Lax gun control&#x27; In the violent and chaotic protests that followed the incident, two people were shot dead by a man with an assault rifle. Authorities arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the killings and filed intentional homicide charges against him on Thursday.&quot;We would see this as yet another -- unfortunately -- example of the insufficient and lax gun control measures in the United States,&quot; said Colville.&quot;It should be inconceivable that you have a 17-year-old running around with an automatic rifle in a position to shoot people in this way in such a tense situation.&quot;Blake survived and is in hospital, but may never walk again, according to his lawyer. &quot;In our view, the dreadful events of the past few days in Kenosha are not only recurrent but highly preventable,&quot; said Colville.&quot;We would offer our sympathy to the family of Jacob Blake and wish him a full recovery -- even though that doesn&#x27;t necessarily look probable.&quot;

GENEVA - The shooting of African American Jacob Blake by US law enforcement was a painful reminder of the need to eliminate links between policing and racism, a United Nations spokesman said Friday.

GENEVA - The shooting of African American Jacob Blake by US law enforcement was a painful reminder of the need to eliminate links between policing and racism, a United Nations spokesman said Friday.