Rev. Jesse Jackson Joins Families Of Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake In Call For Justice
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Saturday met with the families of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake in a call for justice and equality.
"Make your voices be heard, because the time is now," said Taylor's aunt, Bianca Austin. "We're sick of dying, sick of fighting. We're tired of it."
"We must exercise our rights as humans, stand up, and not be pushed aside any longer," said Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr. "I refuse to be second- and third-class."
Both families held a news conference at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, 930 E. 50th St.
Blake was partially paralyzed after being shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August.
Taylor was killed by police in Louisville after officers conducted a raid at her home back in March. Late last month, a grand jury declined to indict any of the officers specifically in Taylor's death.
Both families said they want changes in the grand jury process, and changes to the laws that give police immunity in the shootings of unarmed people.
The Rev. Jackson and members of the Taylor and Blake families then led a march in Evanston, where Blake grew up. Hundreds of people joined the march.
State lawmakers from Illinois and Wisconsin encouraged the crowd to make their voices heard, and stressed the importance of voting in next month's election.
