csmonitor--2020-08-27--As coronavirus threatens again, countries call in contact-tracing cavalry

“ The big advantage of the army is that they can do things quickly , ” says Liora Valinsky of the Health Ministry .
Israel has turned to the military after a summer outbreak .
An army unit that deals with civilians has erected a contact-tracing center in Ramle in central Israel .
It is part of the command being established to ensure information is shared between government agencies and public health services .
That preparation has paid off .
“ The number of people we have had to trace has doubled since the beginning of May , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The German state of Baden-Württemberg came up with a “ flexible personnel planning ” strategy , shifting personnel between government departments , pulling people out of retirement , asking part-timers to ramp up hours , and recruiting new applicants to help contact trace .
In all , they ’ d identified about 2,400 people available if needed .
As COVID-19 case numbers tick upward in Germany and Israel , the two countries are putting considerable resources behind their contact-tracing efforts in order to contain the pandemic – albeit in different ways .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease at bay is only as effective as a multifaceted , flexible strategy that includes tracing : identifying who ’ s infected and who they ’ ve spent time with , quarantining , and tracking cases .
Typically , Lisa Hermann is a psychology master ’ s student .
But times are far from typical in the town of Lübeck in northern Germany .
With the federal government desperate to keep the coronavirus contained , her university circulated an ad seeking students to help with contact tracing .
Having finished her degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted an application .
One interview later , she ’ d signed up for a 39-hour-a-week gig as one of Germany ’ s newest “ containment scouts , ” paid €2,325 ( $ 2,749 ) a month to help with efforts throughout the country .
“ It ’ s similar to the job I want to do in the future , which is help people get through psychologically difficult times , ” Ms. Hermann says .
“ But sometimes the work is very stressful.
” In Ramle , Israel , Liora Valinsky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Health Ministry , is training a very different set of contact tracers : soldiers .
Israel ’ s traditional contact tracing was underfunded and understaffed , with its efforts initially focused on mass cellphone tracking .
After the COVID-19 infection rate spiked over the summer , the government called in the army to lead a new , multipronged effort of testing , tracing , and quarantining .
As case numbers now tick upward in Germany and Israel , the two countries are putting considerable resources behind their contact-tracing efforts in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While Germany has called on civilians and Israel the military for additional reinforcement , it is becoming clear that holding the disease at bay is only as effective as a multifaceted , flexible strategy that includes tracing : identifying who ’ s infected and who they ’ ve spent time with , quarantining , and tracking cases .
In mid-April as cases were spiking , the German government decreed a team of five tracers must be assigned for every 20,000 people .
Execution would be left to each of Germany ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government would be doled out for hard-hit areas .
“ One problem was how were we to implement this ?
” says Dr. Isolde Piechotowski , head of infection protection at the Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration in Baden-Württemberg , Germany ’ s third-most populous state .
They came up with a “ flexible personnel planning ” strategy .
They began by shifting personnel between government departments , pulling people out of retirement , asking part-timers to ramp up hours , and recruiting new applicants to help contact trace .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 2,400 people available if needed , says Dr. Piechotowski .
That preparation has paid off , now that infections are again trending upwards .
“ The number of people we have had to trace has doubled since the beginning of May , ” says Dr. Piechotowski .
Countrywide , the strategy also morphed over time , as more information surfaced about the virus and how it spreads .
Tracing teams learned on the fly , with one example being the streamlining of how authorities communicate with infected persons .
“ At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written ordinance that they ’ d need to go into quarantine , says Dr. Jakob Schumacher , deputy public health officer of the Berlin district of Reinickendorf .
“ Now people get phone calls.
” Calmer times were used to train and reorganize .
In April , a points system was implemented to help determine who would get a free test .
Those in Category 1 , or at highest risk of infection , include people who have had at least 15 minutes of face-to-face contact with an infected person .
Lower-risk Category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of rows away from an infected person on an airplane .
“ We give points depending on risk factors , ” says Dr. Schumacher .
“ We couldn ’ t keep up with tracing and testing – this score makes [ our efforts ] more efficient.
” Health officials in Baden-Württemberg are now also testing asymptomatic people , as well as those outside the typical risk categories in “ vulnerable ” settings , such as nursing homes .
Germany can do this , in part , because of a concerted effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More testing can reduce tracing workload , says Dr. Piechotowski .
“ We think that this way we can reduce the numbers.
” Calling in the cavalry in Israel When the initial outbreak of COVID-19 occurred this spring , Israel managed to quash it with a swift and severe lockdown .
But over the summer , new daily cases have rocketed as high as 2,000 – similar to daily counts in Germany , a country with nearly 10 times the population .
“ There was a false sense of assurance that somehow we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus , ” says Dr .
Ran Balicer , director of health policy planning at Clalit , Israel ’ s largest health care organization .
That ’ s part of the reason why , at the beginning of April , only 27 nurses nationwide were charged with contact tracing , and then reinforced later that month with 300 more .
At that time , Israel had been relying predominantly on an atypical , controversial type of contact tracing while a swift and effective lockdown helped lower infection rates .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s version of the FBI , to deploy mass surveillance capabilities to monitor COVID-19 patients and those who have come in contact with them .
Also used in counterterrorism , the practice has come under fire for being what critics say is dangerous government overreach .
It also appears to be wildly inaccurate .
According to data provided to the Knesset in July , some 50,000 out of 415,000 Israelis sent into quarantine via the surveillance methods were found to have been contacted in error .
It was later determined they hadn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals after all .
Pleas for additional staffing to help with traditional contact tracing were repeatedly blocked by government bureaucracy , Ms. Valinsky says , as they operated on a “ pre-pandemic mindset.
” “ It ’ s like we are living in two different worlds , ” says Ms. Valinsky .
“ One is the emergency world of COVID and the other is the bureaucratic system , and the two just don ’ t meet.
” As pressure to reopen the economy built , a spike in cases soon followed as Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world for how not to transition from lockdown .
Now , soldiers have been added for contract tracing .
In Ramle , a city in the center of Israel , an army unit that deals with civilians has erected a contact-tracing center .
It is part of the central command being established to ensure information is shared between government agencies and public health services .
“ The big advantage of the army is that they can do things quickly , ” says Ms. Valinsky .
Contact tracers are drawn from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as its teachers ’ corps , and subsets of the first 300 soldier recruits are already in training .
The Health Ministry has hired nearly 300 medical and nursing students , along with 350 civilians , among them furloughed employees from El-Al , Israel ’ s airline , for the work .
Their hope is to soon have more than 1,000 contact tracers on the task .
Back in Germany , Ms. Hermann is finding that questions now roll off her tongue , having undergone hours of video , PowerPoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the infected person ?
What was the context ?
Inside or outside ?
For how long ?
Did you drink from the same glass ?
Ms. Hermann is pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable the people are on the other end of the line .
“ Their information is high quality , ” she says , recalling conversations about the impact of air conditioning and the aerosolized method of virus spread .
Ms. Hermann also liaises with airlines – with an additional colleague responsible for holiday returnees – and submits data to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for overseeing coronavirus control .
“ I ’ m the one doing statistics , and others write texts very well and communicate with quarantined individuals .
Some have kids , so they specialize on school-related issues , ” she says .
“ We ’ re moving around on the team based on individual strengths.
” In the end , Ms. Hermann is happy she can help fill an urgent societal need .
“ It ’ s an exceptional situation.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

“The big advantage of the army is that they can do things quickly,” says Liora Valinsky of the Health Ministry.
Israel has turned to the military after a summer outbreak. An army unit that deals with civilians has erected a contact-tracing center in Ramle in central Israel. It is part of the command being established to ensure information is shared between government agencies and public health services.
That preparation has paid off. “The number of people we have had to trace has doubled since the beginning of May,” says Dr. Isolde Piechotowski, a state official.
For countries that seemed to have beaten back COVID-19 but are experiencing new hot spots, contact tracing is proving key to keeping the disease in check.
The German state of Baden-Württemberg came up with a “flexible personnel planning” strategy, shifting personnel between government departments, pulling people out of retirement, asking part-timers to ramp up hours, and recruiting new applicants to help contact trace. In all, they’d identified about 2,400 people available if needed.
As COVID-19 case numbers tick upward in Germany and Israel, the two countries are putting considerable resources behind their contact-tracing efforts in order to contain the pandemic – albeit in different ways. But it is becoming clear that holding the disease at bay is only as effective as a multifaceted, flexible strategy that includes tracing: identifying who’s infected and who they’ve spent time with, quarantining, and tracking cases.
Typically, Lisa Hermann is a psychology master’s student. But times are far from typical in the town of Lübeck in northern Germany.
With the federal government desperate to keep the coronavirus contained, her university circulated an ad seeking students to help with contact tracing. Having finished her degree half a year early, Ms. Hermann submitted an application. One interview later, she’d signed up for a 39-hour-a-week gig as one of Germany’s newest “containment scouts,” paid €2,325 ($2,749) a month to help with efforts throughout the country.
“It’s similar to the job I want to do in the future, which is help people get through psychologically difficult times,” Ms. Hermann says. “But sometimes the work is very stressful.”
Why We Wrote This For countries that seemed to have beaten back COVID-19 but are experiencing new hot spots, contact tracing is proving key to keeping the disease in check.
In Ramle, Israel, Liora Valinsky, the director of public health nursing for the Health Ministry, is training a very different set of contact tracers: soldiers. Israel’s traditional contact tracing was underfunded and understaffed, with its efforts initially focused on mass cellphone tracking. After the COVID-19 infection rate spiked over the summer, the government called in the army to lead a new, multipronged effort of testing, tracing, and quarantining.
As case numbers now tick upward in Germany and Israel, the two countries are putting considerable resources behind their contact-tracing efforts in order to contain COVID-19 – albeit in different ways. While Germany has called on civilians and Israel the military for additional reinforcement, it is becoming clear that holding the disease at bay is only as effective as a multifaceted, flexible strategy that includes tracing: identifying who’s infected and who they’ve spent time with, quarantining, and tracking cases.
An early, rigorous start in Germany
In mid-April as cases were spiking, the German government decreed a team of five tracers must be assigned for every 20,000 people. Execution would be left to each of Germany’s 16 states, and extra help from the federal government would be doled out for hard-hit areas.
“One problem was how were we to implement this?” says Dr. Isolde Piechotowski, head of infection protection at the Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration in Baden-Württemberg, Germany’s third-most populous state. They came up with a “flexible personnel planning” strategy.
They began by shifting personnel between government departments, pulling people out of retirement, asking part-timers to ramp up hours, and recruiting new applicants to help contact trace. In all, they’d identified about 2,400 people available if needed, says Dr. Piechotowski.
That preparation has paid off, now that infections are again trending upwards. “The number of people we have had to trace has doubled since the beginning of May,” says Dr. Piechotowski.
Countrywide, the strategy also morphed over time, as more information surfaced about the virus and how it spreads. Tracing teams learned on the fly, with one example being the streamlining of how authorities communicate with infected persons.
“At the beginning, we’d send a written ordinance that they’d need to go into quarantine, says Dr. Jakob Schumacher, deputy public health officer of the Berlin district of Reinickendorf. “Now people get phone calls.” Calmer times were used to train and reorganize.
In April, a points system was implemented to help determine who would get a free test. Those in Category 1, or at highest risk of infection, include people who have had at least 15 minutes of face-to-face contact with an infected person. Lower-risk Category 2 might include someone who sat a couple of rows away from an infected person on an airplane.
“We give points depending on risk factors,” says Dr. Schumacher. “We couldn’t keep up with tracing and testing – this score makes [our efforts] more efficient.”
Health officials in Baden-Württemberg are now also testing asymptomatic people, as well as those outside the typical risk categories in “vulnerable” settings, such as nursing homes. Germany can do this, in part, because of a concerted effort to increase test availability and lab capacity. More testing can reduce tracing workload, says Dr. Piechotowski. “We think that this way we can reduce the numbers.”
Calling in the cavalry in Israel
When the initial outbreak of COVID-19 occurred this spring, Israel managed to quash it with a swift and severe lockdown. But over the summer, new daily cases have rocketed as high as 2,000 – similar to daily counts in Germany, a country with nearly 10 times the population.
“There was a false sense of assurance that somehow we found the formula to beat the dissemination of the virus,” says Dr. Ran Balicer, director of health policy planning at Clalit, Israel’s largest health care organization.
That’s part of the reason why, at the beginning of April, only 27 nurses nationwide were charged with contact tracing, and then reinforced later that month with 300 more. At that time, Israel had been relying predominantly on an atypical, controversial type of contact tracing while a swift and effective lockdown helped lower infection rates. The government had asked its intelligence service, Israel’s version of the FBI, to deploy mass surveillance capabilities to monitor COVID-19 patients and those who have come in contact with them.
Also used in counterterrorism, the practice has come under fire for being what critics say is dangerous government overreach. It also appears to be wildly inaccurate. According to data provided to the Knesset in July, some 50,000 out of 415,000 Israelis sent into quarantine via the surveillance methods were found to have been contacted in error. It was later determined they hadn’t come into contact with infected individuals after all.
Pleas for additional staffing to help with traditional contact tracing were repeatedly blocked by government bureaucracy, Ms. Valinsky says, as they operated on a “pre-pandemic mindset.” “It’s like we are living in two different worlds,” says Ms. Valinsky. “One is the emergency world of COVID and the other is the bureaucratic system, and the two just don’t meet.”
As pressure to reopen the economy built, a spike in cases soon followed as Israel was transformed into a cautionary tale cited around the world for how not to transition from lockdown.
Now, soldiers have been added for contract tracing. In Ramle, a city in the center of Israel, an army unit that deals with civilians has erected a contact-tracing center. It is part of the central command being established to ensure information is shared between government agencies and public health services.
“The big advantage of the army is that they can do things quickly,” says Ms. Valinsky. Contact tracers are drawn from the army’s pool of university graduates as well as its teachers’ corps, and subsets of the first 300 soldier recruits are already in training.
The Health Ministry has hired nearly 300 medical and nursing students, along with 350 civilians, among them furloughed employees from El-Al, Israel’s airline, for the work. Their hope is to soon have more than 1,000 contact tracers on the task.
Maximizing their strengths
Back in Germany, Ms. Hermann is finding that questions now roll off her tongue, having undergone hours of video, PowerPoint, and online training: Where was contact with the infected person? What was the context? Inside or outside? For how long? Did you drink from the same glass?
Ms. Hermann is pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable the people are on the other end of the line. “Their information is high quality,” she says, recalling conversations about the impact of air conditioning and the aerosolized method of virus spread.
Ms. Hermann also liaises with airlines – with an additional colleague responsible for holiday returnees – and submits data to the Robert Koch Institute, the federal agency responsible for overseeing coronavirus control. “I’m the one doing statistics, and others write texts very well and communicate with quarantined individuals. Some have kids, so they specialize on school-related issues,” she says. “We’re moving around on the team based on individual strengths.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
In the end, Ms. Hermann is happy she can help fill an urgent societal need. “It’s an exceptional situation.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories.


csmonitor--2020-08-27--Why Russian police are waiting for word from Belarus' Lukashenko

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that he stands ready to send police to Belarus if protests there turn violent , but added in an interview broadcast Thursday that there is no such need now and voiced hope for stabilizing the situation in the neighboring country .
Belarus ’ authoritarian president of 26 years , Alexander Lukashenko , is facing weeks of protests against his reelection to a sixth term in the Aug. 9 vote , which the opposition says was rigged .
Mr. Putin told Russia ’ s state television that Mr. Lukashenko has asked him to prepare a Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if necessary .
Mr. Putin said that he and Mr. Lukashenko have agreed that “ there is no such need now , and I hope there won ’ t be.
” “ We have agreed not to use it until the situation starts spinning out of control and extremist elements acting under the cover of political slogans cross certain borders and engage in banditry and start burning cars , houses , and banks or take over administrative buildings , ” he said .
The Coordination Council , created by the Belarusian opposition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Mr. Putin ’ s statement , saying it ’ s “ inadmissible ” for any country to form armed units for use on the territory of Belarus .
“ This contradicts international law and consolidated position of Belarusian society , ” it said in a statement .
In an apparent jab at the West , which has condemned Mr. Lukashenko ’ s crackdown on protesters and urged him to launch a dialogue with the opposition , Mr. Putin accused unidentified foreign forces of trying to win political advantages from the turmoil in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those processes and reach certain decisions , which they think conform with their political interests , ” Mr. Putin said .
Russia sees the neighbor as a key bulwark against Western expansion and an important conduit for Russian energy exports .
The two countries have a union agreement envisaging close political , economic , and military ties , and Mr. Lukashenko has relied on cheap Russian energy and other subsidies to keep Belarus ’ Soviet-style economy afloat .
Despite the close cooperation , Russia-Belarus relations have often been strained by disputes .
Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accused Moscow of hatching plans to incorporate Belarus .
Just before the election , Belarus arrested 32 private Russian military contractors on charges of planning to stage riots .
Belarusian authorities released the men shortly after the vote in a bid to mend ties with the Kremlin amid rising Western criticism .
In the interview , Mr. Putin described the incident as a provocation by the Ukrainian and the U.S. spy agencies , charging that they lured the Russians to travel to Belarus by promising them jobs in a third country and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mission to destabilize the country .
Seeking Moscow ’ s support , Mr. Lukashenko has cast the protests as part of a Western plot to weaken Russia .
On Thursday , he accused Belarus ’ neighbors of open interference in its affairs with a push for new elections in what he described as a “ hybrid war ” and “ diplomatic carnage.
” He charged that Poland was harboring plans to take over the Grodno region on the border , saying that it prompted the deployment of additional Belarusian troops to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such claims last week , emphasizing that Poland fully respects Belarus ’ sovereignty .
The U.S. and the European Union have criticized the Aug. 9 election that extended Mr. Lukashenko ’ s rule as neither free nor fair and encouraged Belarusian authorities to engage in a dialogue with the opposition .
The Belarusian leader , who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist since 1994 , has dismissed the protesters as Western puppets and refused to engage in dialogue with the opposition , which is contesting his reelection to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crackdown on demonstrators in the first days of post-election protests , when nearly 7,000 people were detained , hundreds were injured , and at least three protesters died , the authorities changed tactics and let daily demonstrations go unhindered for nearly two weeks .
The government , meanwhile , has maintained pressure on the opposition with threats and selective jailing of its leaders .
On the 19th straight day of protests Thursday , several dozen women stood on the Belarusian capital ’ s main Independence Square with their hands bound to protest the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous night .
“ Putin must be ashamed , he ’ s promising to add Russian clubs to the Belarusian ones , ” said protester Regina Fustovich .
“ We saw that Putin supports Lukashenko , not the Belarusian people.
” Mr. Putin defended the Belarusian authorities ’ response to protests , saying that police in Belarus have shown “ restraint.
” He accused Western critics of Belarus of hypocrisy and double standards , pointing at examples of violent police action , such as when “ they shoot an unarmed man in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a car ” in an apparent reference to the police shooting of a Black man , Jacob Blake , in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Mr. Blake was shot in the back seven times on Sunday as he leaned into his SUV , with three of his children seated inside .
As part of a multi-pronged effort to stifle protest , Belarusian prosecutors have opened a criminal probe against the opposition Coordination Council , accusing its members of undermining the country ’ s security .
Belarusian courts this week have handed 10-day jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several others for questioning , including Svetlana Alexievich , who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature .
Another council member , Maria Kolesnikova , a close associate of the main opposition challenger in the vote , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , was called in for questioning Thursday .
“ It ’ s part of the pressure on civil society , ” she told reporters outside Belarus ’ Investigative Committee headquarters .
“ The authorities are refusing to listen to the people.
” The EU ambassadors to Belarus warned Thursday that “ prosecution of Coordination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities is unacceptable.
” At Thursday ’ s meeting in Berlin , EU foreign ministers are expected to approve a list of 15-20 Belarus officials who would face travel bans in Europe and a freeze on their assets .
Lithuania is demanding that 118 people be blacklisted .
In an apparent bid to win time , the Belarusian leader has alternated pressure and threats against protesters with promises of a constitutional reform that could see a new election down the road .
Speaking at a meeting with officials Thursday , he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representatives of factory workers , farmers , and students , but ruled out talks with protesters whom he described as “ violent thugs who roam the streets and shout that they want a dialogue.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw , Poland contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that he stands ready to send police to Belarus if protests there turn violent, but added in an interview broadcast Thursday that there is no such need now and voiced hope for stabilizing the situation in the neighboring country.
Belarus’ authoritarian president of 26 years, Alexander Lukashenko, is facing weeks of protests against his reelection to a sixth term in the Aug. 9 vote, which the opposition says was rigged.
Mr. Putin told Russia’s state television that Mr. Lukashenko has asked him to prepare a Russian law enforcement contingent to deploy to Belarus if necessary.
Mr. Putin said that he and Mr. Lukashenko have agreed that “there is no such need now, and I hope there won’t be.”
“We have agreed not to use it until the situation starts spinning out of control and extremist elements acting under the cover of political slogans cross certain borders and engage in banditry and start burning cars, houses, and banks or take over administrative buildings,” he said.
The Coordination Council, created by the Belarusian opposition to facilitate a peaceful transition of power, criticized Mr. Putin’s statement, saying it’s “inadmissible” for any country to form armed units for use on the territory of Belarus.
“This contradicts international law and consolidated position of Belarusian society,” it said in a statement.
In an apparent jab at the West, which has condemned Mr. Lukashenko’s crackdown on protesters and urged him to launch a dialogue with the opposition, Mr. Putin accused unidentified foreign forces of trying to win political advantages from the turmoil in Belarus.
“They want to influence those processes and reach certain decisions, which they think conform with their political interests,” Mr. Putin said.
Russia sees the neighbor as a key bulwark against Western expansion and an important conduit for Russian energy exports. The two countries have a union agreement envisaging close political, economic, and military ties, and Mr. Lukashenko has relied on cheap Russian energy and other subsidies to keep Belarus’ Soviet-style economy afloat.
Despite the close cooperation, Russia-Belarus relations have often been strained by disputes. Mr. Lukashenko frequently played overtures to the West and accused Moscow of hatching plans to incorporate Belarus.
Just before the election, Belarus arrested 32 private Russian military contractors on charges of planning to stage riots. Belarusian authorities released the men shortly after the vote in a bid to mend ties with the Kremlin amid rising Western criticism.
In the interview, Mr. Putin described the incident as a provocation by the Ukrainian and the U.S. spy agencies, charging that they lured the Russians to travel to Belarus by promising them jobs in a third country and made the Belarusian authorities believe they had a mission to destabilize the country.
Seeking Moscow’s support, Mr. Lukashenko has cast the protests as part of a Western plot to weaken Russia.
On Thursday, he accused Belarus’ neighbors of open interference in its affairs with a push for new elections in what he described as a “hybrid war” and “diplomatic carnage.” He charged that Poland was harboring plans to take over the Grodno region on the border, saying that it prompted the deployment of additional Belarusian troops to the frontier.
Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki dismissed such claims last week, emphasizing that Poland fully respects Belarus’ sovereignty.
The U.S. and the European Union have criticized the Aug. 9 election that extended Mr. Lukashenko’s rule as neither free nor fair and encouraged Belarusian authorities to engage in a dialogue with the opposition.
The Belarusian leader, who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist since 1994, has dismissed the protesters as Western puppets and refused to engage in dialogue with the opposition, which is contesting his reelection to a sixth term.
After a brutal crackdown on demonstrators in the first days of post-election protests, when nearly 7,000 people were detained, hundreds were injured, and at least three protesters died, the authorities changed tactics and let daily demonstrations go unhindered for nearly two weeks. The government, meanwhile, has maintained pressure on the opposition with threats and selective jailing of its leaders.
On the 19th straight day of protests Thursday, several dozen women stood on the Belarusian capital’s main Independence Square with their hands bound to protest the police dispersal of a rally there the previous night.
“Putin must be ashamed, he’s promising to add Russian clubs to the Belarusian ones,” said protester Regina Fustovich. “We saw that Putin supports Lukashenko, not the Belarusian people.”
Mr. Putin defended the Belarusian authorities’ response to protests, saying that police in Belarus have shown “restraint.”
He accused Western critics of Belarus of hypocrisy and double standards, pointing at examples of violent police action, such as when “they shoot an unarmed man in the back while his three children were sitting in a car” in an apparent reference to the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mr. Blake was shot in the back seven times on Sunday as he leaned into his SUV, with three of his children seated inside.
As part of a multi-pronged effort to stifle protest, Belarusian prosecutors have opened a criminal probe against the opposition Coordination Council, accusing its members of undermining the country’s security.
Belarusian courts this week have handed 10-day jail sentences to two council members and summoned several others for questioning, including Svetlana Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature.
Another council member, Maria Kolesnikova, a close associate of the main opposition challenger in the vote, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was called in for questioning Thursday.
“It’s part of the pressure on civil society,” she told reporters outside Belarus’ Investigative Committee headquarters. “The authorities are refusing to listen to the people.”
The EU ambassadors to Belarus warned Thursday that “prosecution of Coordination Council members on grounds presented by the authorities is unacceptable.”
At Thursday’s meeting in Berlin, EU foreign ministers are expected to approve a list of 15-20 Belarus officials who would face travel bans in Europe and a freeze on their assets. Lithuania is demanding that 118 people be blacklisted.
In an apparent bid to win time, the Belarusian leader has alternated pressure and threats against protesters with promises of a constitutional reform that could see a new election down the road.
Speaking at a meeting with officials Thursday, he said he would welcome discussions on constitutional changes with representatives of factory workers, farmers, and students, but ruled out talks with protesters whom he described as “violent thugs who roam the streets and shout that they want a dialogue.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-27--Now a Category 1 storm, Laura blasts Gulf Coast for two days

Hurricane Laura pounded the Gulf Coast with ferocious wind , torrential rain , and unleashed a wall of seawater that could push 40 miles inland as the Category 4 storm roared ashore Thursday in Louisiana near the Texas border .
At least one person was killed .
Laura battered a tall building in Lake Charles , blowing out windows as glass and debris flew to the ground .
Police spotted a floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge .
But hours after the hurricane made landfall , the wind and rain were still blowing too hard for authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bel Edwards reported Louisiana ’ s first fatality – a 14-year-old girl who died when a tree fell on her home in Leesville .
Hundreds of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate ahead of the hurricane , but not everyone fled from the area , which was devastated by Hurricane Rita in 2005 .
The hurricane ’ s top wind speed of 150 mph put it among the most powerful systems on record in the U.S. “ It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here .
It ’ s just destruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who rode out the storm with three family members in Moss Bluff , near Lake Charles .
He described Laura passing over his house with the roar of a jet engine around 2 a.m. “ There are houses that are totally gone .
They were there yesterday , but now gone , ” he said .
An apparent chemical fire broke out near Lake Charles , sending up plumes of smoke visible for miles .
The source of the blaze was not immediately clear , but Mr. Edwards urged nearby residents to shelter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hours after the system made landfall , initial reports offered hope that the destruction might be somewhat less than originally feared , but a full damage assessment could take days .
Wind and rain blew too hard for authorities to check for survivors in some hard-hit places .
Meanwhile , Laura began weakening as it churned toward Arkansas , which was under an unusual tropical storm warning .
“ There are some people still in town , and people are calling ... but there ain ’ t no way to get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury , said over the phone from a Lake Charles government building that was shaking from the storm .
Mr. Guillory said he hoped the stranded people could be rescued later in the day , but he feared that blocked roads , downed power lines , and floodwaters could get in the way .
“ We know anyone that stayed that close to the coast , we ’ ve got to pray for them , because looking at the storm surge , there would be little chance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Billy Nungesser told ABC ’ s Good Morning America .
More than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in the two states , according to the website PowerOutage.Us , which tracks utility reports .
The National Hurricane Center said Laura slammed the coast with winds of 150 mph at 1 a.m. CDT near Cameron , a 400-person community about 30 miles east of the Texas border .
Forecasters had warned that the storm surge would be “ unsurvivable ” and the damage “ catastrophic.
” They predicted a storm surge of 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas , and a stretch of Louisiana including Lake Charles , a city of 80,000 people on Lake Calcasieu .
“ This surge could penetrate up to 40 miles inland from the immediate coastline , and floodwaters will not fully recede for several days , ” the hurricane center said .
Hours after it arrived , Laura weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph .
The storm was 65 miles southeast of Shreveport and moving north .
Damaging winds extended outward as far as 175 miles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gremillion , the emergency director in Calcasieu Parish , said authorities were unable to get out to assess damage .
“ The wind is still over 50 mph .
It ’ s going to have to drop significantly before they can even run any emergency calls .
We also need daylight , ” Mr. Gremillion said in an interview with Lake Charles television station KPLC .
More than 580,000 coastal residents were ordered to join the largest evacuation since the coronavirus pandemic began and many did , filling hotels and sleeping in cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large shelters that could invite more spread of COVID-19 .
But in Cameron Parish , where Laura came ashore , Mr. Nungesser said 50 to 150 people refused pleas to leave and planned to endure the storm , some in elevated homes and even recreational vehicles .
The result could be deadly .
“ It ’ s a very sad situation , ” said Ashley Buller , assistant director of emergency preparedness .
“ We did everything we could to encourage them to leave.
” Becky Clements did not take chances .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could take a direct hit .
With memories of Rita ’ s destruction almost 15 years ago , she and her family found an Airbnb hundreds of miles inland .
“ The devastation afterward in our town and that whole corner of the state was just awful , ” Ms. Clements recalled .
“ Whole communities were washed away , never to exist again.
” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete Gaynor urged people in Laura ’ s path to stay home , if that ’ s still safe .
“ Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put yourself , your family at risk , and you put first responders at risk , ” he told “ CBS This Morning.
” FEMA has plenty of resources staged to help survivors , Mr. Gaynor said .
Mr. Edwards mobilized the National Guard to help , and state Department of Wildlife crews had boats prepared for water rescues .
Forecasters expected a weakened Laura to cause widespread flash flooding in states far from the coast .
An unusual tropical storm warning was issued as far north as Little Rock , where forecasters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deluge of rain through Friday .
The storm was so powerful that it could regain strength after turning east and reaching the Atlantic Ocean , potentially threatening the densely populated Northeast .
Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola , including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic , where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding .
It was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year , setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1886 and 1916 , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
Laura was tied with five other storms for fifth most powerful hurricane , behind the 1935 ’ s Labor Day storm , 1969 ’ s Camille , 1992 ’ s Andrew and 2004 ’ s Charley , Mr. Klotzbach said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; John L. Mone in Port Arthur , Texas ; Paul J. Weber in Austin , Texas ; Seth Borenstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lozano in Houston ; Jake Bleiberg in Dallas ; Jay Reeves in Birmingham , Alabama ; Jill Bleed in Little Rock , Arkansas ; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Gerald Herbert, Melinda Deslatte, and Stacey Plaisance

Hurricane Laura pounded the Gulf Coast with ferocious wind, torrential rain, and unleashed a wall of seawater that could push 40 miles inland as the Category 4 storm roared ashore Thursday in Louisiana near the Texas border. At least one person was killed.
Laura battered a tall building in Lake Charles, blowing out windows as glass and debris flew to the ground. Police spotted a floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge. But hours after the hurricane made landfall, the wind and rain were still blowing too hard for authorities to check for survivors.
Gov. John Bel Edwards reported Louisiana’s first fatality – a 14-year-old girl who died when a tree fell on her home in Leesville.
Hundreds of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate ahead of the hurricane, but not everyone fled from the area, which was devastated by Hurricane Rita in 2005.
The hurricane’s top wind speed of 150 mph put it among the most powerful systems on record in the U.S.
“It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here. It’s just destruction everywhere,” said Brett Geymann, who rode out the storm with three family members in Moss Bluff, near Lake Charles. He described Laura passing over his house with the roar of a jet engine around 2 a.m.
“There are houses that are totally gone. They were there yesterday, but now gone,” he said.
An apparent chemical fire broke out near Lake Charles, sending up plumes of smoke visible for miles. The source of the blaze was not immediately clear, but Mr. Edwards urged nearby residents to shelter in place and turn off air conditioners.
Hours after the system made landfall, initial reports offered hope that the destruction might be somewhat less than originally feared, but a full damage assessment could take days. Wind and rain blew too hard for authorities to check for survivors in some hard-hit places. Meanwhile, Laura began weakening as it churned toward Arkansas, which was under an unusual tropical storm warning.
“There are some people still in town, and people are calling ... but there ain’t no way to get to them,” Tony Guillory, president of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, said over the phone from a Lake Charles government building that was shaking from the storm.
Mr. Guillory said he hoped the stranded people could be rescued later in the day, but he feared that blocked roads, downed power lines, and floodwaters could get in the way.
“We know anyone that stayed that close to the coast, we’ve got to pray for them, because looking at the storm surge, there would be little chance of survival,” Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser told ABC’s Good Morning America.
More than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in the two states, according to the website PowerOutage.Us, which tracks utility reports.
The National Hurricane Center said Laura slammed the coast with winds of 150 mph at 1 a.m. CDT near Cameron, a 400-person community about 30 miles east of the Texas border. Forecasters had warned that the storm surge would be “unsurvivable” and the damage “catastrophic.”
They predicted a storm surge of 15 to 20 feet in Port Arthur, Texas, and a stretch of Louisiana including Lake Charles, a city of 80,000 people on Lake Calcasieu.
“This surge could penetrate up to 40 miles inland from the immediate coastline, and floodwaters will not fully recede for several days,” the hurricane center said.
Hours after it arrived, Laura weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm was 65 miles southeast of Shreveport and moving north. Damaging winds extended outward as far as 175 miles, according to the hurricane center.
Dick Gremillion, the emergency director in Calcasieu Parish, said authorities were unable to get out to assess damage.
“The wind is still over 50 mph. It’s going to have to drop significantly before they can even run any emergency calls. We also need daylight,” Mr. Gremillion said in an interview with Lake Charles television station KPLC.
More than 580,000 coastal residents were ordered to join the largest evacuation since the coronavirus pandemic began and many did, filling hotels and sleeping in cars since officials did not want to open large shelters that could invite more spread of COVID-19.
But in Cameron Parish, where Laura came ashore, Mr. Nungesser said 50 to 150 people refused pleas to leave and planned to endure the storm, some in elevated homes and even recreational vehicles. The result could be deadly.
“It’s a very sad situation,” said Ashley Buller, assistant director of emergency preparedness. “We did everything we could to encourage them to leave.”
Becky Clements did not take chances. She evacuated from Lake Charles after hearing that it could take a direct hit. With memories of Rita’s destruction almost 15 years ago, she and her family found an Airbnb hundreds of miles inland.
“The devastation afterward in our town and that whole corner of the state was just awful,” Ms. Clements recalled. “Whole communities were washed away, never to exist again.”
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete Gaynor urged people in Laura’s path to stay home, if that’s still safe.
“Don’t go out sightseeing. You put yourself, your family at risk, and you put first responders at risk,” he told “CBS This Morning.”
FEMA has plenty of resources staged to help survivors, Mr. Gaynor said. Mr. Edwards mobilized the National Guard to help, and state Department of Wildlife crews had boats prepared for water rescues.
Forecasters expected a weakened Laura to cause widespread flash flooding in states far from the coast. An unusual tropical storm warning was issued as far north as Little Rock, where forecasters expected gusts of 50 mph and a deluge of rain through Friday. The storm was so powerful that it could regain strength after turning east and reaching the Atlantic Ocean, potentially threatening the densely populated Northeast.
Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola, including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic, where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding.
It was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year, setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August. The old record was six in 1886 and 1916, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Laura was tied with five other storms for fifth most powerful hurricane, behind the 1935’s Labor Day storm, 1969’s Camille, 1992’s Andrew and 2004’s Charley, Mr. Klotzbach said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; John L. Mone in Port Arthur, Texas; Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Juan A. Lozano in Houston; Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama; Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-27--In Brazil’s prisons, inequality isn’t just a condition. It’s the law.

Brazil ’ s decision to lock down its prisons highlights its disregard for those it puts behind bars , prisoner advocates say .
“ I ’ ve had mothers come to me after their sons have been locked up with the wrong name or charged with the same crime twice and say , ‘ Look at the absurdity.
’ But it ’ s not absurd .
I ’ ve heard the same story for years , ” says Flavia Pinheiro Froes , a Brazilian lawyer .
As COVID-19 ravages Brazil , these inequalities have become even more pronounced .
Whereas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either halting new imprisonments or moving more inmates to house arrest – Brazil has taken a hard-line approach .
When someone is arrested in Brazil , he or she can spend months in an overcrowded prison before getting a chance to contest the charges – unless that person has a college education .
Justice systems around the globe are often accused of providing more leniency to wealthy or white people .
But Brazil ’ s justice system doesn ’ t informally discriminate : It ’ s codified in law .
Those with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazilians – are guaranteed private cells isolated from the general prison population until their trial is complete .
This protects them from spending pretrial detention in overcrowded , gang-controlled jails , and can sometimes mean awaiting their trial from home .
In late 2018 , Evaldo dos Santos told his mother he was stepping out to buy bread for breakfast and would be back in a few minutes .
Seven months passed before she saw him again .
Walking through the winding back streets of Rocinha , one of Rio ’ s largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in a shootout between drug traffickers and police .
When the smoke cleared , police alleged he was part of the gang .
He spent the next several months in Brazil ’ s overcrowded prison system waiting for the opportunity to prove his innocence – a story shared by hundreds of thousands of Brazilian inmates languishing in pretrial detention .
“ They make it so that if you are poor , you are stuck in prison .
You don ’ t have money to pay for a good lawyer ?
To pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sorry , but you are going to be behind bars for a while , ” says Mr. dos Santos , who was eventually released without charges .
Justice systems around the globe are often accused of providing more leniency to people who are wealthy or white .
In the United States , for example , the majority of citizens believe the system treats Black citizens less fairly .
But Brazil ’ s justice system doesn ’ t informally discriminate : It ’ s written into law .
The criminal code dictates that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealthier , lighter-skinned Brazilians – are guaranteed private cells isolated from the general prison population until their trial is complete .
This protects them from spending pretrial detention in overcrowded , gang-controlled jails , and can sometimes mean awaiting their trial from home .
Yet , more than half of Brazil ’ s prison population is eventually released without a conviction .
A 2013 study conducted by the Open Society Foundation found that of nearly 8,000 individuals arrested that year in Rio de Janeiro , it took on average more than three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As COVID-19 ravages Brazil – home to the highest pandemic-related death toll behind only the United States – these inequalities have become even more pronounced in prisons known for overcrowded conditions .
In the wake of COVID-19 , Brazil has instituted a near-total shutdown of the country ’ s state and federal prisons to outsiders – whether lawyers or family members – putting prisoners at a heightened risk of catching the virus as well as reducing their access to a legal defense .
The move stands in stark contrast to neighboring nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped sending people to prison due to the risks presented by COVID-19 .
And in Argentina , there was an early push to release more prisoners to carry out their sentences under home surveillance .
Brazil ’ s decision to lock down its prisons highlights its disregard for those it puts behind bars , prisoner advocates say .
“ I ’ ve had mothers come to me after their sons have been locked up with the wrong name or charged with the same crime twice and say , ‘ Look at the absurdity.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ ve heard the same story for years , ” says Flavia Pinheiro Froes , a Brazilian lawyer fighting what she sees as a systematic effort to segregate the country ’ s poor and Black citizens into prisons .
The coronavirus is exacerbating already serious human rights concerns around the prison system , but , she hopes , this moment could underscore the need for rapid reforms .
Ms. Froes has spent the past several years traveling Brazil visiting its maximum-security prisons where she meets with clients the government says pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is through a monitored video feed .
This hasn ’ t always been her niche .
In a country where there is roughly one public defender per 160 prisoners she recalls accepting pastries in exchange for her legal services when she first launched her career in the 1990s .
When Ms. Froes was finishing her law degree , she initially wanted to work to put offenders behind bars .
She describes her younger self as a law-and-justice conservative and a “ Bolsominon , ” referencing Brazil ’ s hard-line President Jair Bolsonaro .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take an internship at the public defender ’ s office , she says she was shocked to see the conditions in which inmates were living .
“ You had people who were never convicted of a crime or were declared innocent but who the prisons wouldn ’ t release because there was no one to move their file from one office to the other , ” she says .
In a 2019 report , Human Rights Watch described Brazil ’ s penitentiaries as overcrowded , rife with violence , and a pipeline for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double the occupancy they were built to contain .
Her willingness to work with any client , regardless of that person ’ s wealth or stature , led her onto a career path that ’ s garnered her death threats and government investigations , but also high-paying gigs defending the country ’ s most notorious drug traffickers .
That money , she says , funds her pro bono and criminal justice reform platforms .
Her work defending Brazil ’ s most infamous criminals underscores what she sees as the very basis of injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selectively punitive , taking a “ throw-away-the-key ” approach for crimes like trafficking , while allowing openly corrupt politicians to carry on with business as usual .
Get out of jail free ?
Brazil ’ s supreme court said in 2015 that the prison system was overwhelmed by “ generalized violations of the fundamental rights of prisoners ” and that it acts as a segregationist institution punishing those who are uneducated , mentally disabled , and minorities .
“ The bottom line is that the people getting arrested are the poor , Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Janeiro-based public defender Emanuel Queiroz Rangel .
He says this imbalance is the “ result of a racist society.
” It ’ s not just a university degree that can get Brazilians better prison conditions .
The law extends to a handful of professions involved in Brazil ’ s legal infrastructure , including lawyers , police , judges , and anyone who has served on a jury .
It also applies to politicians , ambassadors , union leaders , teachers , and anyone who is a part of the Livro do Mérito @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be joined by donation and which is regulated by the presidency .
A 2009 attempt to quash this form of special detention passed Brazil ’ s Senate , but Congress vetoed the bill and it has since been tabled , overshadowed by nearly a decade of political scandals implicating presidents , congressmen , and the business community .
At least a third of the 2009 Congress has benefited from the law in some form following a laundry list of corruption and graft charges , many stemming from the world-famous Car Wash scandal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in providing judicial leniency has become a point of contention in recent months .
Take Fabricio Queiroz , the former parliamentary aid to Flávio Bolsonaro , the president ’ s son .
He was arrested June 16 , accused of being the middle man in a corruption scheme implicating the younger Bolsonaro .
Less than a month later , courts granted him rare leniency to spend his pre-crime detention at home on account of belonging to a group at high risk of contracting the coronavirus .
On July 23 , a team of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Noronha , who released Mr. Queiroz , for similar leniency for other high-risk inmates .
The appeal was denied .
Marcos Fuchs , associate director of Brazilian human rights nongovernmental organization Conectas , says the fact that Mr. Queiroz was granted leniency in itself isn ’ t wrong .
But affording lawyers and finding doctors willing to appeal in one ’ s favor is an impossible outcome for the vast majority of people .
“ From the moment you have your own lawyer , he will be able to apply for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to push for the case to be taken to a higher court .
Eventually the lawyer will find a way to get his client out , ” Mr. Fuchs says .
Since March , Mr. Fuchs has submitted 520 pro bono compassionate release petitions to the courts .
About 20 have been successful .
The courts have denied over 84 % of compassionate release petitions throughout the country over the past three months , with some states like Rio de Janeiro refusing nearly every request .
Editor ’ s note : As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall for all pandemic-related stories .

Brazil’s prison system is known for overcrowding and heightened levels of gang violence. But COVID-19 is serving as a wake-up call for the inequalities and discriminatory practices written into law.
Brazil’s decision to lock down its prisons highlights its disregard for those it puts behind bars, prisoner advocates say. “I’ve had mothers come to me after their sons have been locked up with the wrong name or charged with the same crime twice and say, ‘Look at the absurdity.’ But it’s not absurd. I’ve heard the same story for years,” says Flavia Pinheiro Froes, a Brazilian lawyer.
As COVID-19 ravages Brazil, these inequalities have become even more pronounced. Whereas neighboring countries are moving toward leniency – either halting new imprisonments or moving more inmates to house arrest – Brazil has taken a hard-line approach.
When someone is arrested in Brazil, he or she can spend months in an overcrowded prison before getting a chance to contest the charges – unless that person has a college education. Justice systems around the globe are often accused of providing more leniency to wealthy or white people. But Brazil’s justice system doesn’t informally discriminate: It’s codified in law. Those with a university education – generally wealthier, lighter-skinned Brazilians – are guaranteed private cells isolated from the general prison population until their trial is complete. This protects them from spending pretrial detention in overcrowded, gang-controlled jails, and can sometimes mean awaiting their trial from home.
In late 2018, Evaldo dos Santos told his mother he was stepping out to buy bread for breakfast and would be back in a few minutes. Seven months passed before she saw him again.
Walking through the winding back streets of Rocinha, one of Rio’s largest favelas, Mr. dos Santos was caught up in a shootout between drug traffickers and police. When the smoke cleared, police alleged he was part of the gang.
He spent the next several months in Brazil’s overcrowded prison system waiting for the opportunity to prove his innocence – a story shared by hundreds of thousands of Brazilian inmates languishing in pretrial detention. “They make it so that if you are poor, you are stuck in prison. You don’t have money to pay for a good lawyer? To pay for a good defense? Well then, sorry, but you are going to be behind bars for a while,” says Mr. dos Santos, who was eventually released without charges.
Why We Wrote This Brazil’s prison system is known for overcrowding and heightened levels of gang violence. But COVID-19 is serving as a wake-up call for the inequalities and discriminatory practices written into law.
Justice systems around the globe are often accused of providing more leniency to people who are wealthy or white. In the United States, for example, the majority of citizens believe the system treats Black citizens less fairly. But Brazil’s justice system doesn’t informally discriminate: It’s written into law. The criminal code dictates that those with a university education – generally wealthier, lighter-skinned Brazilians – are guaranteed private cells isolated from the general prison population until their trial is complete. This protects them from spending pretrial detention in overcrowded, gang-controlled jails, and can sometimes mean awaiting their trial from home.
Yet, more than half of Brazil’s prison population is eventually released without a conviction. A 2013 study conducted by the Open Society Foundation found that of nearly 8,000 individuals arrested that year in Rio de Janeiro, it took on average more than three months for them to be brought to trial. As COVID-19 ravages Brazil – home to the highest pandemic-related death toll behind only the United States – these inequalities have become even more pronounced in prisons known for overcrowded conditions.
In the wake of COVID-19, Brazil has instituted a near-total shutdown of the country’s state and federal prisons to outsiders – whether lawyers or family members – putting prisoners at a heightened risk of catching the virus as well as reducing their access to a legal defense. The move stands in stark contrast to neighboring nations: In Peru, the government temporarily stopped sending people to prison due to the risks presented by COVID-19. And in Argentina, there was an early push to release more prisoners to carry out their sentences under home surveillance.
C.H. Gardiner View caption Hide caption Flavia Pinheiro Froes, a Brazilian lawyer with a reputation for defending some of the country’s most notorious drug traffickers, distributes food in a Rio de Janeiro slum Oct. 16, 2019. Ms. Froes believes the country’s judicial system systemically segregates Brazil’s poor and Black citizens into prisons.
Brazil’s decision to lock down its prisons highlights its disregard for those it puts behind bars, prisoner advocates say. “I’ve had mothers come to me after their sons have been locked up with the wrong name or charged with the same crime twice and say, ‘Look at the absurdity.’ But it’s not absurd. I’ve heard the same story for years,” says Flavia Pinheiro Froes, a Brazilian lawyer fighting what she sees as a systematic effort to segregate the country’s poor and Black citizens into prisons. The coronavirus is exacerbating already serious human rights concerns around the prison system, but, she hopes, this moment could underscore the need for rapid reforms.
Law and justice
Ms. Froes has spent the past several years traveling Brazil visiting its maximum-security prisons where she meets with clients the government says pose such a risk that her only access is through a monitored video feed.
This hasn’t always been her niche. In a country where there is roughly one public defender per 160 prisoners she recalls accepting pastries in exchange for her legal services when she first launched her career in the 1990s. When Ms. Froes was finishing her law degree, she initially wanted to work to put offenders behind bars. She describes her younger self as a law-and-justice conservative and a “Bolsominon,” referencing Brazil’s hard-line President Jair Bolsonaro. But after a professor convinced her to take an internship at the public defender’s office, she says she was shocked to see the conditions in which inmates were living.
“You had people who were never convicted of a crime or were declared innocent but who the prisons wouldn’t release because there was no one to move their file from one office to the other,” she says. In a 2019 report, Human Rights Watch described Brazil’s penitentiaries as overcrowded, rife with violence, and a pipeline for gang recruitment. Brazilian prisons have nearly double the occupancy they were built to contain.
Her willingness to work with any client, regardless of that person’s wealth or stature, led her onto a career path that’s garnered her death threats and government investigations, but also high-paying gigs defending the country’s most notorious drug traffickers. That money, she says, funds her pro bono and criminal justice reform platforms.
Her work defending Brazil’s most infamous criminals underscores what she sees as the very basis of injustice in Brazil: a system that is selectively punitive, taking a “throw-away-the-key” approach for crimes like trafficking, while allowing openly corrupt politicians to carry on with business as usual.
Get out of jail free?
Brazil’s supreme court said in 2015 that the prison system was overwhelmed by “generalized violations of the fundamental rights of prisoners” and that it acts as a segregationist institution punishing those who are uneducated, mentally disabled, and minorities.
“The bottom line is that the people getting arrested are the poor, Black, and uneducated,” says Rio de Janeiro-based public defender Emanuel Queiroz Rangel. He says this imbalance is the “result of a racist society.”
It’s not just a university degree that can get Brazilians better prison conditions. The law extends to a handful of professions involved in Brazil’s legal infrastructure, including lawyers, police, judges, and anyone who has served on a jury. It also applies to politicians, ambassadors, union leaders, teachers, and anyone who is a part of the Livro do Mérito, a Brazilian professional honor society that can be joined by donation and which is regulated by the presidency.
A 2009 attempt to quash this form of special detention passed Brazil’s Senate, but Congress vetoed the bill and it has since been tabled, overshadowed by nearly a decade of political scandals implicating presidents, congressmen, and the business community. At least a third of the 2009 Congress has benefited from the law in some form following a laundry list of corruption and graft charges, many stemming from the world-famous Car Wash scandal.
The role that political influence plays in providing judicial leniency has become a point of contention in recent months.
Take Fabricio Queiroz, the former parliamentary aid to Flávio Bolsonaro, the president’s son. He was arrested June 16, accused of being the middle man in a corruption scheme implicating the younger Bolsonaro. Less than a month later, courts granted him rare leniency to spend his pre-crime detention at home on account of belonging to a group at high risk of contracting the coronavirus. On July 23, a team of human rights lawyers asked Minister João Otávio de Noronha, who released Mr. Queiroz, for similar leniency for other high-risk inmates. The appeal was denied.
Marcos Fuchs, associate director of Brazilian human rights nongovernmental organization Conectas, says the fact that Mr. Queiroz was granted leniency in itself isn’t wrong. But affording lawyers and finding doctors willing to appeal in one’s favor is an impossible outcome for the vast majority of people.
“From the moment you have your own lawyer, he will be able to apply for a habeas corpus. He will be able to push for the case to be taken to a higher court. Eventually the lawyer will find a way to get his client out,” Mr. Fuchs says.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Since March, Mr. Fuchs has submitted 520 pro bono compassionate release petitions to the courts. About 20 have been successful. The courts have denied over 84% of compassionate release petitions throughout the country over the past three months, with some states like Rio de Janeiro refusing nearly every request.
Editor’s note: As a public service, we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories.


csmonitor--2020-08-27--New Zealand mosque shooter sentenced to life in prison

The white supremacist who brutally killed 51 worshippers at two New Zealand mosques was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole , the first time the maximum available sentence has been imposed in the country .
Judge Cameron Mander said the crimes committed by Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant were so wicked that a lifetime in jail could not begin to atone for them .
He said they had caused enormous loss and hurt and stemmed from a warped and malignant ideology .
After the sentence was announced , survivors of the shootings raised hands and fists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with painted hearts and carrying roses outside the court building .
The March 2019 attacks targeting people praying at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch shocked New Zealand and prompted new laws banning the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons .
They also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook .
During the four-day sentencing hearing , 90 survivors and family members recounted the horror of that day and the trauma they continue to feel .
One of those who spoke was Temel Atacocugu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the attack at the Al Noor mosque .
Mr. Atacocugu said he felt relieved at the sentence .
“ Finally we can breathe freely , and we feel secure , and my kids feel secure , ” Mr. Atacocugu said .
“ The justice system has locked up this ideology forever.
” Mr. Tarrant pleaded guilty in March to 51 counts of murder , 40 counts of attempted murder , and one count of terrorism , reversing his earlier not guilty pleas .
He fired his lawyers and told the judge he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sentencing .
A standby lawyer appointed by the court told the judge that Mr. Tarrant did not oppose the maximum sentence .
The judge said Mr. Tarrant recently told a psychiatrist that he now rejects his extremist views and considers his attacks “ abhorrent and irrational.
” But Mr. Mander said he was skeptical Mr. Tarrant had abandoned his ideology , especially considering that the gunman told police after the attacks he wished he ’ d killed more people .
Mr. Mander said Mr. Tarrant had shown no empathy toward his victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tarrant arrived in New Zealand in 2017 , never sought work , and began planning for his attack by stockpiling high-powered weapons and joining shooting clubs , the judge said .
“ It appears that while traveling in Europe you developed deep-seated radical views regarding the migrant population of some Western countries , ” the judge said .
Mr. Tarrant flew a drone over the Al Noor mosque and researched the layout , according to prosecutors .
On the day of the attacks , he drove to the mosques with six guns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass murder , ” the judge said .
“ You slaughtered unarmed and defenseless people .
You maimed , wounded , and crippled many others .
Your victims include the young and the old , men , women , and children.
” Dressed in a gray prison tracksuit , Mr. Tarrant showed little emotion during his four-day sentencing .
He watched the speakers , occasionally giving a small nod or covering his mouth as he laughed at jokes , often made at his expense .
He was noticeably thinner than when he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show the brazenness he did at his first court appearance the day after the attacks , when he made a hand gesture sometimes adopted by white supremacists .
The sentencing hearing gave survivors and family members a chance to confront the gunman .
As the hearing went on , the speakers became more emboldened and the numbers who signed up to speak swelled .
Some chose to yell at the gunman and give him the finger .
Others called him a monster , a coward , a rat .
Some sung verses from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A few spoke softly to Mr. Tarrant , saying they forgave him .
“ It was very empowering , ” said Aya Al-Umari , who spoke about the death of her brother , Hussein .
“ Every one of us was so powerful in delivering our statements.
” Ms. Al-Umari said the hearing had shown how resilient the Muslim community in Christchurch has been in recovering from the trauma of the attacks .
“ No sentence will bring our loved ones back , ” she said .
“ But at least we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , who was praised globally for her empathy and leadership after the attacks , said the crime was still raw for many .
“ Nothing will take the pain away but I hope you felt the arms of New Zealand around you through this whole process , and I hope you continue to feel that through all the days that follow , ” Ms. Ardern said .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was sending his love across to New Zealand .
He said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gunman again .
A Nine Network television news crew spoke to Mr. Tarrant ’ s mother , Sharon Tarrant , after the sentencing near his hometown of Grafton in Australia , but said she declined to comment .
New Zealand abolished the death penalty for murder in 1961 .
Since then , the maximum non-parole sentence had been 30 years for a triple murder .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free .

The white supremacist who brutally killed 51 worshippers at two New Zealand mosques was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the first time the maximum available sentence has been imposed in the country.
Judge Cameron Mander said the crimes committed by Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant were so wicked that a lifetime in jail could not begin to atone for them. He said they had caused enormous loss and hurt and stemmed from a warped and malignant ideology.
“Your actions were inhuman,” Judge Mander said.
After the sentence was announced, survivors of the shootings raised hands and fists in celebration and greeted supporters waving signs with painted hearts and carrying roses outside the court building.
The March 2019 attacks targeting people praying at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch shocked New Zealand and prompted new laws banning the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons. They also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook.
During the four-day sentencing hearing, 90 survivors and family members recounted the horror of that day and the trauma they continue to feel. One of those who spoke was Temel Atacocugu, who survived being shot nine times during the attack at the Al Noor mosque.
Mr. Atacocugu said he felt relieved at the sentence.
“Finally we can breathe freely, and we feel secure, and my kids feel secure,” Mr. Atacocugu said. “The justice system has locked up this ideology forever.”
Mr. Tarrant pleaded guilty in March to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one count of terrorism, reversing his earlier not guilty pleas.
He fired his lawyers and told the judge he didn’t wish to speak at his sentencing. A standby lawyer appointed by the court told the judge that Mr. Tarrant did not oppose the maximum sentence.
The judge said Mr. Tarrant recently told a psychiatrist that he now rejects his extremist views and considers his attacks “abhorrent and irrational.”
But Mr. Mander said he was skeptical Mr. Tarrant had abandoned his ideology, especially considering that the gunman told police after the attacks he wished he’d killed more people. Mr. Mander said Mr. Tarrant had shown no empathy toward his victims and remained detached and self-centered.
Mr. Tarrant arrived in New Zealand in 2017, never sought work, and began planning for his attack by stockpiling high-powered weapons and joining shooting clubs, the judge said.
“It appears that while traveling in Europe you developed deep-seated radical views regarding the migrant population of some Western countries,” the judge said.
Mr. Tarrant flew a drone over the Al Noor mosque and researched the layout, according to prosecutors. On the day of the attacks, he drove to the mosques with six guns, including two AR-15s.
“You committed mass murder,” the judge said. “You slaughtered unarmed and defenseless people. You maimed, wounded, and crippled many others. Your victims include the young and the old, men, women, and children.”
Dressed in a gray prison tracksuit, Mr. Tarrant showed little emotion during his four-day sentencing. He watched the speakers, occasionally giving a small nod or covering his mouth as he laughed at jokes, often made at his expense.
He was noticeably thinner than when he was first arrested. He didn’t show the brazenness he did at his first court appearance the day after the attacks, when he made a hand gesture sometimes adopted by white supremacists.
The sentencing hearing gave survivors and family members a chance to confront the gunman. As the hearing went on, the speakers became more emboldened and the numbers who signed up to speak swelled.
Some chose to yell at the gunman and give him the finger. Others called him a monster, a coward, a rat. Some sung verses from the Quran or addressed him in Arabic. A few spoke softly to Mr. Tarrant, saying they forgave him.
“It was very empowering,” said Aya Al-Umari, who spoke about the death of her brother, Hussein. “Every one of us was so powerful in delivering our statements.”
Ms. Al-Umari said the hearing had shown how resilient the Muslim community in Christchurch has been in recovering from the trauma of the attacks.
“No sentence will bring our loved ones back,” she said. “But at least we can close this chapter and move on.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was praised globally for her empathy and leadership after the attacks, said the crime was still raw for many.
“Nothing will take the pain away but I hope you felt the arms of New Zealand around you through this whole process, and I hope you continue to feel that through all the days that follow,” Ms. Ardern said.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was sending his love across to New Zealand. He said the world must never see or hear from the gunman again.
A Nine Network television news crew spoke to Mr. Tarrant’s mother, Sharon Tarrant, after the sentencing near his hometown of Grafton in Australia, but said she declined to comment.
New Zealand abolished the death penalty for murder in 1961. Since then, the maximum non-parole sentence had been 30 years for a triple murder.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-27--Kenosha protests calmer after arrest of suspect in shooting

Protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man , Jacob Blake , were mostly peaceful following the arrest of a 17-year-old police admirer accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a chaotic night of demonstrations and unrest .
As of early Thursday , there were no groups patrolling with long guns as there were during previous nights of protests over the Sunday shooting of Mr. Blake , who was left paralyzed .
Protesters also stayed away from a courthouse that had been the site of standoffs with law enforcement .
Kyle Rittenhouse , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Kenosha , was taken into custody on Wednesday in Illinois on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide in shootings late Tuesday that were largely captured on cellphone video .
“ I just killed somebody , ” the gunman , carrying a semi-automatic rifle , could be heard saying at one point while jogging away from a man who had just been fatally shot in the head .
In the wake of the killings , Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers authorized the deployment of 500 members of the National Guard to Kenosha , doubling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 100,000 midway between Milwaukee and Chicago .
The governor ’ s office said he is working with other states to bring in additional National Guard members and law officers .
Authorities also announced a 7 p.m. curfew , though protesters ignored it again Wednesday .
Protesters marched past the intersection where two people were shot Tuesday night , stopping to gather around the spot where one person was shot , and to pray and lay flowers .
Daijon Spann said he decided to join the demonstration because one of those killed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I couldn ’ t take it any more , ” he said .
“ I couldn ’ t just sit there and watch my friend die.
” Mr. Evers , a Democrat , issued a statement asking those who wanted to exercise their First Amendment rights to “ please do so peacefully and safely ” and urging others to “ please stay home and let local first responders , law enforcement , and members of the Wisconsin National Guard do their jobs.
” “ A senseless tragedy like this can not happen again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , the Justice Department said it is sending in more than 200 federal agents from the FBI , U.S .
Marshals Service , and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives .
The White House said up to 2,000 National Guard troops would be made available .
The Justice Department also announced that the U.S. attorney ’ s office and FBI would conduct a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Mr. Blake , in cooperation with Wisconsin state law enforcement agencies .
The two people killed late Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake , Wisconsin , resident and a 36-year-old from Kenosha .
The wounded person , a 36-year-old from West Allis , Wisconsin , was expected to survive , police said .
“ We were all chanting ‘ Black lives matter ’ at the gas station and then we heard , boom , boom , and I told my friend , ‘ That ’ s not fireworks , ’ ” protester Devin Scott told the Chicago Tribune .
“ And then this guy with this huge gun runs by us in the middle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ He shot someone !
He shot someone !
’ And everyone is trying to fight the guy , chasing him , and then he started shooting again.
” Mr. Scott said he cradled a victim in his arms , and a woman started performing CPR , but “ I don ’ t think he made it.
” According to witness accounts and video footage , police apparently let the gunman walk past them and leave the scene with a rifle over his shoulder and his hands in the air as members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be arrested because he had shot people .
As for how the gunman managed to slip away , Sheriff David Beth described a chaotic , high-stress scene , with lots of radio traffic and people screaming , chanting , and running – conditions he said can cause “ tunnel vision ” among law officers .
Mr. Rittenhouse was assigned a public defender in Illinois for a hearing Friday on his transfer to Wisconsin .
The public defender ’ s office had no comment .
Under Wisconsin law , anyone 17 or older is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice system .
Much of Mr. Rittenhouse ’ s Facebook page is devoted to praising law enforcement , with references to Blue Lives Matter , a movement that supports police .
He also can be seen holding an assault rifle .
In a photograph posted by his mother , he is wearing what appears to be a blue law enforcement uniform as well as the kind of brimmed hat that state troopers wear .
The sheriff told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that militia members or armed vigilantes had been patrolling Kenosha ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not know if the gunman was among them .
However , video taken before the shooting shows police tossing bottled water from an armored vehicle to what appear to be armed civilians walking the streets .
And one of them appears to be the gunman .
“ We appreciate you being here , ” an officer is heard saying to the group over a loudspeaker .
Before the shooting , the conservative website The Daily Caller conducted a video interview with the suspected gunman in front of a boarded-up business .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our job is to protect this business , ” the young man said .
“ And part of my job is to also help people .
If there is somebody hurt , I ’ m running into harm ’ s way .
That ’ s why I have my rifle – because I can protect myself , obviously .
But I also have my med kit.
” Wisconsin Lt. Gov .
Mandela Barnes , who is Black , said in an interview with the news program “ Democracy Now !
” that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been ignored for too long .
“ How many times across this country do you see armed gunmen , protesting , walking into state Capitols , and everybody just thinks it ’ s OK ?
” Mr. Barnes said .
“ People treat that like it ’ s some kind of normal activity that people are walking around with assault rifles.
” In Wisconsin , it is legal for people 18 and over to openly carry a gun without a license .
Witness accounts and video indicate the gunman first shot someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then jogged away , fell in the street , and opened fire again as members of the crowd closed in on him .
A witness , Julio Rosas , said that when the gunman stumbled , “ two people jumped onto him and there was a struggle for control of his rifle .
At that point during the struggle , he just began to fire multiple rounds , and that dispersed people near him.
” “ The rifle was being jerked around in all directions while it was being fired , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot in the back seven times on Sunday as he leaned into his SUV , three of his children seated inside .
Kenosha police have said little about what happened other than that they were responding to a domestic dispute .
On Wednesday , three days after the shooting , state authorities identified the officer who shot Mr. Blake as Rusten Sheskey , a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department .
Mr. Sheskey shot Mr. Blake while holding onto his shirt after officers first unsuccessfully used a Taser , the Wisconsin Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knife from the driver ’ s side floorboard of the vehicle , the department said .
The man who said he made the widely circulated cellphone video of Mr. Blake ’ s shooting has said he heard officers yell , “ Drop the knife !
Drop the knife !
” before the gunfire erupted .
He said he didn ’ t see a knife in Mr. Blake ’ s hands .
State authorities did not say Mr. Blake threatened anyone with the knife .
On Tuesday , Ben Crump , the lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would “ take a miracle ” for Mr. Blake to walk again .
He called for the officer who opened fire to be arrested and for the others involved to lose their jobs .
State officials have announced no charges .
Vice President Mike Pence , speaking on the third night of the Republican convention , called for an end to violence in Kenosha and “ law and order on the streets of this country for every American of every race and creed and color.
” But Mr. Pence made no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Americans shot or killed by police this year .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden posted a video saying he had spoken with Mr. Blake ’ s parents and other family members .
“ What I saw on that video makes me sick , ” Mr. Biden said .
“ Once again , a Black man , Jacob Blake , has been shot by the police in broad daylight , with the whole world watching.
” Elsewhere , the Minnesota governor activated the National Guard on Wednesday night to help quell unrest that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities said was misinformation about the suicide death of a Black homicide suspect .
The unrest comes three months after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer touched off a nationwide reckoning over racial injustice .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP reporters Mike Householder in Kenosha , Wisconsin ; Todd Richmond in Madison , Wisconsin ; Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee ; Jeff Baenen and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis ; Don Babwin in Chicago ; Tammy Webber in Fenton , Michigan ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, were mostly peaceful following the arrest of a 17-year-old police admirer accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a chaotic night of demonstrations and unrest.
As of early Thursday, there were no groups patrolling with long guns as there were during previous nights of protests over the Sunday shooting of Mr. Blake, who was left paralyzed. Protesters also stayed away from a courthouse that had been the site of standoffs with law enforcement.
Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, about 15 miles from Kenosha, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Illinois on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide in shootings late Tuesday that were largely captured on cellphone video.
“I just killed somebody,” the gunman, carrying a semi-automatic rifle, could be heard saying at one point while jogging away from a man who had just been fatally shot in the head.
In the wake of the killings, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers authorized the deployment of 500 members of the National Guard to Kenosha, doubling the number of troops in the city of 100,000 midway between Milwaukee and Chicago. The governor’s office said he is working with other states to bring in additional National Guard members and law officers. Authorities also announced a 7 p.m. curfew, though protesters ignored it again Wednesday.
Protesters marched past the intersection where two people were shot Tuesday night, stopping to gather around the spot where one person was shot, and to pray and lay flowers. Daijon Spann said he decided to join the demonstration because one of those killed the night before was a friend.
“I couldn’t take it any more,” he said. “I couldn’t just sit there and watch my friend die.”
Mr. Evers, a Democrat, issued a statement asking those who wanted to exercise their First Amendment rights to “please do so peacefully and safely” and urging others to “please stay home and let local first responders, law enforcement, and members of the Wisconsin National Guard do their jobs.”
“A senseless tragedy like this cannot happen again,” Mr. Evers said.
In Washington, the Justice Department said it is sending in more than 200 federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The White House said up to 2,000 National Guard troops would be made available.
The Justice Department also announced that the U.S. attorney’s office and FBI would conduct a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Mr. Blake, in cooperation with Wisconsin state law enforcement agencies.
The two people killed late Tuesday were identified only as a 26-year-old Silver Lake, Wisconsin, resident and a 36-year-old from Kenosha. The wounded person, a 36-year-old from West Allis, Wisconsin, was expected to survive, police said.
“We were all chanting ‘Black lives matter’ at the gas station and then we heard, boom, boom, and I told my friend, ‘That’s not fireworks,’” protester Devin Scott told the Chicago Tribune. “And then this guy with this huge gun runs by us in the middle of the street and people are yelling, ‘He shot someone! He shot someone!’ And everyone is trying to fight the guy, chasing him, and then he started shooting again.”
Mr. Scott said he cradled a victim in his arms, and a woman started performing CPR, but “I don’t think he made it.”
According to witness accounts and video footage, police apparently let the gunman walk past them and leave the scene with a rifle over his shoulder and his hands in the air as members of the crowd were yelling for him to be arrested because he had shot people.
As for how the gunman managed to slip away, Sheriff David Beth described a chaotic, high-stress scene, with lots of radio traffic and people screaming, chanting, and running – conditions he said can cause “tunnel vision” among law officers.
Mr. Rittenhouse was assigned a public defender in Illinois for a hearing Friday on his transfer to Wisconsin. The public defender’s office had no comment. Under Wisconsin law, anyone 17 or older is treated as an adult in the criminal justice system.
Much of Mr. Rittenhouse’s Facebook page is devoted to praising law enforcement, with references to Blue Lives Matter, a movement that supports police. He also can be seen holding an assault rifle.
In a photograph posted by his mother, he is wearing what appears to be a blue law enforcement uniform as well as the kind of brimmed hat that state troopers wear.
The sheriff told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that militia members or armed vigilantes had been patrolling Kenosha’s streets in recent nights, but he did not know if the gunman was among them. However, video taken before the shooting shows police tossing bottled water from an armored vehicle to what appear to be armed civilians walking the streets. And one of them appears to be the gunman.
“We appreciate you being here,” an officer is heard saying to the group over a loudspeaker.
Before the shooting, the conservative website The Daily Caller conducted a video interview with the suspected gunman in front of a boarded-up business.
“So people are getting injured, and our job is to protect this business,” the young man said. “And part of my job is to also help people. If there is somebody hurt, I’m running into harm’s way. That’s why I have my rifle – because I can protect myself, obviously. But I also have my med kit.”
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is Black, said in an interview with the news program “Democracy Now!” that the shootings were not surprising and white militias have been ignored for too long.
“How many times across this country do you see armed gunmen, protesting, walking into state Capitols, and everybody just thinks it’s OK?” Mr. Barnes said. “People treat that like it’s some kind of normal activity that people are walking around with assault rifles.”
In Wisconsin, it is legal for people 18 and over to openly carry a gun without a license.
Witness accounts and video indicate the gunman first shot someone at a car lot just before midnight, then jogged away, fell in the street, and opened fire again as members of the crowd closed in on him.
A witness, Julio Rosas, said that when the gunman stumbled, “two people jumped onto him and there was a struggle for control of his rifle. At that point during the struggle, he just began to fire multiple rounds, and that dispersed people near him.”
“The rifle was being jerked around in all directions while it was being fired,” Mr. Rosas said.
Mr. Blake was shot in the back seven times on Sunday as he leaned into his SUV, three of his children seated inside. Kenosha police have said little about what happened other than that they were responding to a domestic dispute.
On Wednesday, three days after the shooting, state authorities identified the officer who shot Mr. Blake as Rusten Sheskey, a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department. Mr. Sheskey shot Mr. Blake while holding onto his shirt after officers first unsuccessfully used a Taser, the Wisconsin Justice Department said. State agents later recovered a knife from the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle, the department said.
The man who said he made the widely circulated cellphone video of Mr. Blake’s shooting has said he heard officers yell, “Drop the knife! Drop the knife!” before the gunfire erupted. He said he didn’t see a knife in Mr. Blake’s hands.
State authorities did not say Mr. Blake threatened anyone with the knife.
On Tuesday, Ben Crump, the lawyer for Mr. Blake’s family, said it would “take a miracle” for Mr. Blake to walk again. He called for the officer who opened fire to be arrested and for the others involved to lose their jobs. State officials have announced no charges.
Vice President Mike Pence, speaking on the third night of the Republican convention, called for an end to violence in Kenosha and “law and order on the streets of this country for every American of every race and creed and color.” But Mr. Pence made no direct mention of Mr. Blake or other Black Americans shot or killed by police this year.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden posted a video saying he had spoken with Mr. Blake’s parents and other family members.
“What I saw on that video makes me sick,” Mr. Biden said. “Once again, a Black man, Jacob Blake, has been shot by the police in broad daylight, with the whole world watching.”
Elsewhere, the Minnesota governor activated the National Guard on Wednesday night to help quell unrest that broke out in downtown Minneapolis following what authorities said was misinformation about the suicide death of a Black homicide suspect. The unrest comes three months after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer touched off a nationwide reckoning over racial injustice.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP reporters Mike Householder in Kenosha, Wisconsin; Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin; Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee; Jeff Baenen and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis; Don Babwin in Chicago; Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan; and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.