Shorewood, WI (WDJT) — The family of a teenager spit on by a 64-year-old woman in Shorewood over the weekend held a press conference on Monday, June 8.
“Again and again, I’m viewed not as a child, but as a color,” 17-year-old Eric Patrick Lucas, III said.
A 64-year-old Shorewood woman is facing charges accused of spitting on a young protester during a rally Saturday.
The woman is white. The teen is black.
Cell-phone video shared with CBS 58 shows a powerful confrontation on North Oakland Avenue in Shorewood.
Protesters asked and demanded a woman move her car after she parked it in their path Saturday.
Moments later, the woman is seen spitting on 17-year-old Eric Patrick Lucas, III.
“When that happened, it was just a quick rush of anger, pain, confusion. I didn’t know how to feel,” Lucas said.
Lucas, who led a separate youth rally on Sunday, said he was traumatized.
Witnesses say several people asked her to move even before the crowd surrounded her.
“And she’s like I’m not moving nothing, I’m not moving nothing,” Shorewood protester Rebecca Nunez recounted.
“We were yelling black lives matter, I’m black and I’m proud and she got mad,” Shorewood protester, and Lucas friend, Ilijah Taylor-Jordan said.
Shorewood police said it happened on a sidewalk near Oakland and Capitol around 4:30 p.m.
Officers arrested and released Stephanie Rapkin, 64, around 10:12 p.m. Saturday, and referring criminal charges to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
Rapkin is a Mequon-based tax and estate attorney.
“There is no excuse that can be given for a white woman losing her cool and all of a sudden spitting in a young man’s face,” State Rep David Bowen said.
Shorewood is in State Representative David Bowen’s legislative district.
“Our young people got a crash course in the opposition that they’re going to face,” Bowen added.
Lucas said the crowd did finish their march, but true colors where shown in that moment.
“And on top of that it was at something that was supposed to be peaceful and the meaning behind it was that my life mattered, and that showed me that my life doesn’t matter,” Lucas said.
In separate statements, the Village Trustee denounced the “racist act” and the Village Board said “hate has no home in Shorewood.”
Meanwhile, Rapkin told CBS 58 she does want to share her story.
