US President Donald Trump will today visit the city of Kenosha in Wisconsin, where large demonstrations have been held after a black man was shot by the police.
The president is visiting the city despite Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, among others, asking him not to.
- I am worried that your presence will hinder our ability to heal.
I'm worried that your presence will only delay our work to get over the split and move us forward together, says Evers according to the news channel NBC.
Wants to postpone the visit
Kenosha's mayor, also a Democrat, has said the timing of the visit is wrong.
- It would have been nice if it had happened a little later in the future, says John Antaramian.
Antaramian has also advised Donald Trump's opponents in the upcoming presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden, to visit the city.
During a press conference on Monday night, Trump confirmed that Evers had asked him to refrain from the visit and also pointed out that Evers had agreed to enlist the help of the National Guard to curb the protests.
"As soon as he said yes, the problems stopped," Trump said.
The White House rejects criticism
Wisconsin is an important state in the presidential election and Joe Biden and Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris have criticized Trump's decision.
According to them, the visit is part of his re-election campaign.
The White House rejects the criticism.
- The president is going there to visit wounded Americans.
He goes to several states every single week and this is one in a row.
Protests and riots broke out in Kenosha last weekend after Jacob Blake was badly shot by police in front of his children.
The riots culminated late Tuesday, when two protesters were shot dead during the protests.
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after firing on people with automatic weapons.
"More bumpy for Joe Biden"
Donald Trump has tried to explain the 17-year-old's behavior by saying that he was probably afraid for his life.
SVT's US correspondent Stefan Åsberg says that Trump has focused on making the protests a matter of law and order.
- For Joe Biden, the situation is a little more complicated.
He must stand behind his black voters and their demands for justice, but at the same time there are groups within Black Lives Matter who stand for violence and that makes it more difficult for Biden to defend his position.