Jacob Blake: 'You Can Change Your Lives Out There'

Kenosha man releases first words from hospital bed as protests rage on elsewhere
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 6, 2020 7:05 AM CDT
Jacob Blake Speaks: 'It Hurts to Breathe'
Jacob Blake speaks from his hospital bed.   (Twitter/Ben Crump)

Jacob Blake released a message from his hospital bed in which he beseeched viewers to take to heart that "Your life and not only just your life, your legs—something that you need to move around, to move forward in life—can be taken like this, man," said the man shot in the back by police in Kenosha, Wis., with a snap of his fingers. As CNN reports, the video was posted to the Twitter account of Blake's attorney, Ben Crump, late Saturday. "It hurts to breathe," Blake continued. "It hurts to sleep. It hurts to move side to side. It hurts to eat. You do not want to have to deal with this." Still, he urged, "Please, I'm telling you change your lives out there," he said. "We can stick together, keep fighting the fight: make some money, make everything easier for our people." Elsewhere in a nation ill at ease:

  • Portland: "Fire bombs were thrown at officers, injuring at least one community member," according to police in the Oregon city, which saw its 100th night of protests in a row, according to Reuters.
  • Rochester, NY: In ongoing protests over the death of Daniel Prude, nine people were arrested and three cops hospitalized as cops lobbed pepper balls and tear gas and protesters returned fire with fireworks, reports the Democrat and Chronicle.
  • Louisville, Ky.: Organizers of a stripped down Kentucky Derby might have banned fans, but that didn't stop demonstrators from gathering at Churchill Downs to protest the death of Breonna Taylor, reports WLKY.
(More Jacob Blake stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X