Joe Biden is addressing the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Democratic presidential candidate said on Wednesday that “needless violence won’t heal us.”
On Wednesday, the former vice president took to social media to speak out on the incident. His comments came after days of unrest and protest in Kenosha after police officers shot 29-year-old Jacob Blake at close range.
“What I saw in that video makes me sick,” Biden said. “Once again, a black man, Jacob Blake, has been shot by the police in broad daylight with the whole world watching.”
A viral video taken on the day of the incident shows a police officer fire multiple rounds at Blake’s back while he entered his vehicle. Since then, Joe Biden says he spoke with the Blake family.
“Put yourself in the shoes of every Black mother and Black father in this country and ask, is this what we want America to be? Is this the country we should be?” Biden said.
Joe Biden on Protests vs. Violence
Biden then referenced the civil unrest in the wake of the George Floyd shooting in Minneapolis. He calls “protesting brutality” a right, however, he does not qualify “burning down communities” as a protest.
While Biden commends protestors, he condemns the destruction and violence. “It is needless violence,” Biden said. “Violence that endangers lives and guts businesses and shutters businesses that serve the community. That’s wrong.”
Furthermore, Biden urges the country to unite. In the caption of the tweet, he writes: “Needless violence won’t heal us. We need to end the violence — and peacefully come together to demand justice.”
Also on Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted about his plan to restore “law and order” after days of unrest in Kenosha.
“We will NOT stand for looting, arson, violence, and lawlessness on American streets,” the president tweeted. “My team just got off the phone with Governor [Tony] Evers who agreed to accept federal assistance. (Portland should do the same!)”
[H/T Fox News]
