U.S. President donald trump traveled tuesday to the city of kenosha, which has been shaken by protests after a police officer shot a black man in the back.
In the streets, the president's convoy was met by protesters against racism and police violence, but also by trump supporters. Trump viewed a building burned down during the sometimes violent protests and met with representatives of security forces and some local business leaders.
Kenosha was hit by riots that were "anti-police and anti-american," trump said. "It wasn't a peaceful protest, it was domestic terrorism." Trump also promised a million dollars in support for local police and four million dollars for the rebuilding of buildings in kenosha.
Prior to the visit, the city's mayor and the governor of the state of wisconsin, both democrats, had opposed a visit by the president. They warned that trump's presence could heighten tensions.
Protests erupted after 29-year-old african-american jacob blake was seriously injured in a police shooting. Video showed a police officer initially following blake around a car with his gun drawn. As blake opens driver's door and leans in, shots fall. The video had triggered nationwide uproar. Members of the blake family declined to meet with trump. The president, while repeatedly condemning violence by alleged left-wing radicals, had called the video of blake being shot only a "bad look".
In the run-up to the election, trump and his challenger joe biden had accused each other of failing to deal with the violence in the country.
Trump said monday night (local time) on the fox news channel, referring to the democrat presidential candidate: "he's a weak person." Biden is controlled by people in the "dark shadows", he said.
Biden, in turn, said at a campaign appearance on monday: "there are fires raging and we have a president who is fanning the flames instead of fighting them."
Trump had stoked debate over his visit monday by defending a 17-year-old female gunman who allegedly shot and killed two people on the sidelines of protests in kenosha. Trump suggested young man acted in self-defense. Protesters had attacked him "very violently" and he "would probably have been killed". Eyewitness video shows gunman running from protesters before falling and opening fire. There is no evidence that demonstrators killed him. The 17-year-old was charged with two counts of murder, his lawyer speaks of self-defense.
Trump and biden to stand in election on 3. November against each other. Trump has made "law and order" the core message of his election campaign. Biden accuses trump of using it to distract from the administration's failure in the corona pandemic, which has killed more than 180.Cost 000 people their lives. "He failed to protect america, so he's trying to make america afraid," biden said. "He is supposed to protect this country. But instead he's cheering on chaos and violence.Biden stressed: "i want a safe america – safe from covid, safe from crime and plunder, safe from racial violence, safe from bad cops".