Good afternoon, this is Brooke Powered with the Daily Beast. It's Tuesday, September 1st, and these are the top 5 stories the TCT is watching right now. President Donald Trump has said the police officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times was just having a bad day, like a golfer who misses a simple putt. The president's astonishing analogy came in an interview with Laura Ingram on Fox News, but Ingram must have realized how offensive Trump's dream of consciousness was, and she stepped in to stop him from finishing it.
Later on Tuesday, Trump is supposed to travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Blake's shooting took place, but local officials have urged the president not to visit. Blake's family said they have absolutely no interest in meeting Trump during his trip to Kenosha. Blake's father told CNN on Monday night that he won't, quote, play politics with his son's life, adding that the family has received threats as protests have grown over his son's shooting. Blake's uncle told the news network that, quote, President Trump is a racist who stokes racial tensions.
He has been stirring racial tensions since he got in the White House. Why, as Jacob's uncle, would I want to talk to him? Our focus is on Jacob and healing the community. Trump claimed Monday that he nixed the idea of meeting Blake's family in Wisconsin because they, supposedly, wanted to involve lawyers.
Protests erupted in South Los Angeles on Monday night after deputies in the county shot and killed a black man who has yet to be formally identified. Reportedly, the sheriff's lieutenant Brandon Dean said two deputies spotted the man riding his bicycle in violation of unspecified vehicle codes. When the deputies attempted to stop the man, he allegedly dropped the bike and ran, and, when the deputies caught up with him, he supposedly punched one of them. According to Dean, the man then dropped a bundle of clothing that contained a black handgun.
Both deputies then opened fire on him, killing the man. NBC Los Angeles reports that the deputies were not wearing body cameras. Initially, a crowd of demonstrators gathered at the scene chanting, quote, No justice, no peace. But after midnight, over 100 protesters marched to the sheriff's station.
By the end of September, Uber will require riders to submit a picture of themselves wearing a mask if a previous driver has reported them for not wearing one during a past ride. Technically, Uber has required all riders, drivers, and delivery people to wear face covering since May, and has already taken steps to verify that drivers are abiding by the rules. But now, riders will be unable to use the app at all if they refuse to submit a selfie and their history shows they fly to the ride-share service's mask mandate. Uber's global head of safety product wrote in a blog post that the company, quote, Firmly believes that accountability is a two-way street.
With the addition of this new feature, one driver's feedback can help ensure the safety of Uber for the next driver. Michael B. Jordan has posted a powerful and heartbreaking tribute to Chadwick Boseman, his Black Panther co-star. Boseman died last week after being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016.
Alongside several photos of the two actors together, Jordan wrote, quote, I've been trying to find the words, but nothing comes close to how I feel. I've been reflecting on every moment, every conversation, every laugh, every disagreement, every hug, everything. I wish we had more time. Jordan called Boseman his big brother, who helped shape his career since he was just 16 years old, saying, quote, You showed me how to be better, honor purpose, and create legacy.
And whether you've known it or not, I've been watching, learning, and constantly motivated by your greatness. Near the end of the essay, Jordan revealed a touching moment he shared in one of his last conversations with Boseman, writing, quote, One of the last times we spoke, you said we were forever linked. And now the truth of that means more to me than ever. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle commemorated the anniversary of Princess Diana's death on Monday by visiting an L.A.
preschool learning center for disadvantaged children. The couple spent several hours at the school and, in a thoughtful tribute to Harry's mother, sources said they spent the morning with the kids replanting the school garden. Reportedly, the couple and the children planted a mix of vegetables and flowers, and in particular some forget-me-not seeds, which were famously Diana's favorite flower. The preschool facility is a program of Los Angeles' women and kids charity, The Assistance League, which describes its mission as being, quote, To improve the lives of impoverished children in the community through philanthropy, dedicated service, and compassionate programs.
Harry and Meghan are understood to have previously volunteered at the preschool learning center, which is located just a few blocks from where Meghan attended middle and high school. That's all for today. Check back every Wednesday morning and afternoon for more of the news you need to know. Find us on the Smart Speaker or wherever you listen to podcasts.