KENOSHA — Once again, business owners are boarding up windows and doors in Kenosha.
They’re doing so after getting word the city itself is preparing for possible unrest. Brian Unrath spent his New Year's day morning boarding up his wife’s store, after hearing that a decision was coming soon on whether the officer who shot Jacob Blake, would be criminally charged.
"We just wanted to make sure that we’d be ready if anything happened. We had all of our boards in the basement, and from rumors that we heard, we just wanted to put them back just as a precaution," said Unrath.
The Kenosha Common Council is meeting Monday to discuss an emergency declaration regarding potential unrest. The declaration indicated the Kenosha County district attorney would release his charging decision in the first two weeks of January 2021.
After the destruction during the August unrest, Brian says this time his family isn’t taking any chances.
"My wife has worked really hard for her business so we just figured we could try and protect it in any way that we can," said Unrath.
Meanwhile, Jacob Blake’s Uncle, Justin Blake, is hoping the DA’s decision will bring his nephew and the Blake family justice.
"If any regular citizen shot somebody seven times in the back, that had no weapon, that had committed no crime, and pose no threats since they were shot in the back, they would be in jail," said Blake.
And while Blake is hoping for peace after the decision is announced, he says he can only speak for himself in that regard.
"I’m trying to use my anger in a positive manner, but you can’t think that everybody is, because this is been going on for far too long. Justice for Jacob will be justice for all the little Jake’s around this country," said Blake.
The family of Jacob Blake is planning on holding a news conference on Monday, Jan. 4, at 4:30 in response to the upcoming decision. They’ll then march to Civic Park.
