UN: Jacob Blake shooting highlights racism in US police
August 28, 2020
The force used against Blake appeared "excessive," said a UN spokesman. Robert Colville also spoke of the "lax" gun laws in the US contributing to the murders of two people who were shot dead in the ensuing protests.
Image: Reuters/M. Seger
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The United Nations on Friday said the shooting of African American Jacob Blake demonstrated a need to eradicate links between policing and racism in the US.
The force used against Blake, who was shot seven times in the back, appeared "excessive" and was probably "discriminatory," a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said.
Robert Colville told reporters in Geneva: "This really tragic episode reaffirms the need for urgent action to eradicate linkages between structural racism and policing."
An officer opened fire on Blake as the African American tried to enter his car during a confrontation with police in the Midwestern city of Kenosha. Authorities said police were seeking to arrest the 29-year-old and had tried to subdue him with a stun gun.
The incident is a "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," Colville said. "From the images available that we've seen at this point, the police appears to use force against Jacob Blake that would seem to be excessive. And it does not appear that law enforcement officers abided by the international standard for the intentional use of lethal force with a firearm."
Colville also said it seemed "highly possible" that the violence was "discriminatory in nature."
Protests and riots in the aftermath of Blake's shooting have also caused considerable damage to propertyImage: Imago Images/ZUMA Wire/C. Juhn
Footage of the shooting has since gone viral, prompting widespread protests. Two protesters were shot to death and another wounded this week. Authorities have since arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the killings and filed intentional homicide charges against him.
"We would see this as yet another example of the insufficient and lax gun control measures in the United States," said Colville. "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."
"In our view, the dreadful events of the past few days in Kenosha are not only recurrent but highly preventable," said Colville.
Blake is currently in hospital and may never walk again, according to his lawyer.
Black Lives Matter: Protests in sports
US sports teams in the NBA, MLB, MLS and WNBA boycotted scheduled games to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. It was the latest in a string of recent "Black Live Matters" protests in sports.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/K. Klement
American sports halt once more
US basketball teams in the NBA boycotted their playoff games out of protest against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Women players in the WNBA followed with their own protest, as did players from Major League Baseball.
Image: Reuters/USA TODAY Sports/Kevin C. Cox
Five MLS games postponed
After the first game in Major League Soccer went ahead as planned on Wednesday, the remaining five scheduled contests were postponed. MLS players have shown solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement since the league resumed play at the beginning of July.
Image: Getty Images/M. Ehrmann
Naomi Osaka boycotts WTA tournament
Two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka withdrew from a WTA tennis event in New York ahead of next month's US Open, leading the tournament to pause indefinitely. "As a Black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tenns," Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Franklin II
'Black Lives Matter' shirts
Since resuming its season, the NBA has demonstrated solidarity with the "Black Lives Matter" movement. All participants have been wearing shirts or sweatshirts bearing the slogan and have been kneeling before tipoff. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James (second from right) points to the sky in recognition of the victims of police brutality.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/K. C. Cox
Late recognition by the NFL
The originator of the "take a knee" protest is ex-NFL star Colin Kaepernick (center). He first knelt during the US national anthem to protest police violence against African Americans. President Donald Trump voiced his outrage over the protest, and Kaepernick couldn't find another team after his 49ers release. "I wish we had listened earlier to Kaep," NFL commissioner Roger Godell said recently.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. J. Sanchez
Bundesliga against racism
After the death of 46-year-old Black man George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May, the "Black Lives Matter" movement spread outside to sports outside the US. Bundesliga football players have displayed their solidarity, such as Bayern Munich players Thomas Müller (left) and Alphonso Davies (right) before a game against Leverkusen in June.
Image: picture-alliance/R. Ibing
Kneeling goal celebration
SGS Essen player Nicole Anyomi celebrated a goal against Tribune Potsdam with a "take a knee" pose. "We are in 2020 and racism and injustice still prevails," Anyomi told DW. "We have to be active and raise our voice and speak out. If something happens you can't just stand by, look on and say nothing."
Image: Imago Images//M. Koch
Premier League supports 'Black Lives Matter'
The English Premier League paused 100 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. When the players were finally allowed to return to the empty stadiums, they too sent a clear signal against racism, like during this game between Aston Villa and Sheffield United.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Recine
Cricket is no exception
Protests against police brutality towards Black people also took place in many other sports worldwide. The West Indies cricket team knelt before a test match in Manchester against England.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/NMC/M. Steele
'Your silence is deafening'
Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton never gets tired of reminding his colleagues that just showing solidarity, like before the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix — is not enough. "Your silence is still deafening," Hamilton wrote on his Instagram page in June. "You may not be racist in your silence but we need you to be ANTI-racist." Hamilton's Mercedes team is driving black cars this season.
Image: Reuters/B. Lennon
Treble T-shirt
When Bayern Munich won the Champions League to complete their treble, David Alaba (left) used the opportunity to make a religious and political statement. The front of his sleeveless T-shirt read "My strength lies with Jesus," and on the back "Black Lives Still Matter."
