As protests continue to erupt across the nation against racism and police brutality, former President Barack Obama is urging Americans to demonstrate without violence.
“As people exercise their right to protest all across the country––let the undeniable paths of our progress be a guide going forward: peaceful, sustained protest; strategic, committed organizing; and purposeful, overwhelming participation at the ballot box,” Obama said on Twitter Friday.
As people exercise their right to protest all across the country––let the undeniable paths of our progress be a guide going forward: peaceful, sustained protest; strategic, committed organizing; and purposeful, overwhelming participation at the ballot box.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 28, 2020
Protesters immediately flooded the streets after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back several times by officers with the Kenosha Police Department in Wisconsin on Aug. 23.
The protests grew violent with reports of arson, vandalism, and a shooting that killed two people and injured a third over the span of three nights, as IJR previously reported.
Players from several pro-sports leagues including the N.B.A, W.N.B.A, Major League Soccer, and Major League Baseball joined demonstrators in protesting racial injustice.
Obama commended players “for standing up for what they believe in” and declared, “it’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values,” as IJR previously reported.
The former president’s comments come on the same day tens of thousands of people are expected to march in Washington, D.C. against racism and police brutality while commemorating Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he made in 1963.
President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden traded jabs over the other’s response to the social unrest.
Ahead of the final night of the Republican National Convention, Biden released a statement slamming Trump for his leadership amid demonstrations.
He reminded Americans “the violence we’re witnessing is happening under Donald Trump.”
In the same statement, Biden also accused Trump of using racial strife as a political strategy.
During his acceptance speech, Trump criticized Biden for not discussing the violence during the Democratic National Convention.
Biden did release a video condemning the “needless violence.”