After the deaths of the past few days, the city of Kenosha in Wisconsin is in a state of shock. A site visit

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National Guard takes position in the city of Kenosha

When approaching Kenosha, the cell phone suddenly howls like a siren. An air raid? No, just a message from the local sheriff reminding the population that there is a curfew from 7 p.m.

A drive through the city shows that people largely stick to it. Many streets are cordoned off and most of the shops are barricaded with wooden boards. At least the ones that weren't flared. "People live here," is written on some of the houses, a desperate plea to spare the building.

Kenosha, just under an hour's drive north of Chicago, is a city in shock. Here violence from the right, from the left and from the state culminates within a few days. Two people died and two were seriously injured.

One of them is Jacob Blake, a young black man who was shot seven bullets in the back by a police officer on Sunday. Blake had leaned into his car, which authorities said had a knife on the floor. It is still unclear whether that was the reason for the shots.

A 17-year-old shoots two people

The other victims were killed by a 17-year-old from neighboring Illinois who hurried to Kenosha armed to protect businesses from looters, he said. On Tuesday evening, he shot two people and seriously injured another. He is now charged with double murder and illicit gun possession.

According to initial investigations, the young man was an ardent fan of the police and a gun fanatic. His lawyers assert self-defense.

The National Guard has now moved into the city. The past two nights have been quiet. The dead brought all sides to their senses for a moment.

The militiamen have not reappeared yet. In front of "Lou Perrine's Gas & Grocery", a truck positioned sideways protects the glass facade. Three young men keep watch there, but they are not carrying weapons.

It is not easy to find demonstrators at all on Thursday evening (local time). A group of black-clad men and women are grilling sausages in a street where the sour smell of burning wafts from the ruins. They are armed with baseball bats and keep looking nervously around the corner, although it is not entirely clear who they are wary of. They don't want to talk to journalists.

Finally, Mike, a young black man with a megaphone, offers to lead me to the protest march. He has demonstrated every day since Sunday, he says. The whole thing is a single crap, from front to back.

He was shocked by the violence of the protesters. An elderly gentleman who tried to prevent the looting of a mattress warehouse with a fire extinguisher was hit in the face by a demonstrator with his fist that broke his jaw. "Hit an old man - who does that?" Asks Mike.

At the same time, it is said that nobody is interested if they are demonstrating peacefully. "Then nothing changes and something has to change," he says.

It is the dilemma that the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole faces:

• Only since tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating against racism and police brutality by violence in the big cities has politicians taken the issue seriously.

• At the same time, the movement gambled away sympathies.

• In addition, it has so far failed to develop political demands that can win a majority.

Most Americans agree that something has to change in the way the police deal with minorities. But there is no consensus on what exactly.

The militias see themselves as the president's stormtroopers

According to a new poll by the broadcaster NPR, almost two thirds of white Americans are against cutting the police's resources and using them to finance social services. But that is exactly a central requirement of Black Lives Matter.

The violence of a minority also gives the conservatives an opportunity to arm themselves. The armed militias that are increasingly appearing at anti-racism demonstrations in Portland, Atlanta and other cities see themselves as the president's stormtroopers. It is no coincidence that Kenosha Sagittarius is a Trump supporter.

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Protest in Kenosha: The US is divided ahead of the election

Kenosha is therefore also a signal that the protests against racism and police violence need a new strategy if they are to make a difference. The risk of the country sinking into violence is great.

Not all developments are hopeless. Around 30 demonstrators have gathered in the square in front of the courthouse in Kenosha. Two officers go to the group and seek conversation. "You all think we're just out for a rampage," shouts a black woman. "We don't want violence," she says. "We want justice." One of the policemen replied, "Why do you think I came over? To talk to you guys. This is a start."

He seems credible, but the question is how many of his colleagues see it that way. A video is circulating on social media showing police officers giving water to armed militiamen in Kenosha. One says, "We really appreciate that you are here."

Later in the hotel, a black guest in a bathrobe and slippers comes out of his room. He introduces himself as Troy and obviously needs to talk.

His apartment was above a shop, he says. On Sunday the house was burned to the ground by a few demonstrators. "They were the same people I had demonstrated with a few hours earlier."

Troy says he's done with the movement. But does he no longer believe in their goals either? "Black lives are important," he says. "But all black lives, not just one."