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KENOSHA, Wisc. — Protesters and civil-rights groups said Friday they are outraged but not surprised at the not-guilty verdict in Kyle Rittenhouse’s racially charged homicide trial, while defense supporters hailed the jury’s decision as justice served.
Demonstrators outside the Kenosha, Wisconsin, courthouse lashed out with anger shortly after the teen’s acquittal, calling it a shameful racial double standard.
“If [Rittenhouse] was black, he would have been f–king executed on the street,” said a protester, who identified himself as Brandon, to The Post. “If he was black, he would have been dead or in jail.”
A female protester shouted “F–k America!” before collapsing onto her knees on the courthouse steps.
Black Lives Matter’s official Twitter page echoed the rage, writing, “This is how the systems conspire to entrench #WhiteSupremacy.
“Reminder: the system is working exactly as it is meant to. The system was always meant to protect and uphold white supremacy.”
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sparked controversy for kneeling during the national anthem at games to protest police brutality and racism, tweeted, “We just witnessed a system built on white supremacy validate the terroristic acts of a white supremacist.
“White supremacy cannot be reformed.”
But Rittenhouse’s supporters said the teen — who fatally gunned down two men and injured another at a racial-justice protest in August 2020 — had every right to defend himself amid the violence. He was acquitted of all the charges against him, including homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangerment, Friday.
“Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges,” former President Trump said in a statement. “It’s called being found NOT GUILTY—And by the way, if that’s not self defense, nothing is!”
Several Republican members of Congress also praised the verdict, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“May Kyle and his family now live in peace,” Greene tweeted. “Those who help, protect, and defend are the good guys. Kyle is one of good ones.”
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) — who was recently censured for posting an edited anime video showing him with a sword slashing New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden — concurred.
“Justice was served for #KyleRittenhouse and he is fully exonerated,” Gosar tweeted. “As I said last year, obviously self-defense. I will arm wrestle @mattgaetz to get dibs for Kyle as an intern.”
Rittenhouse was a 17-year-old wannabe cop in August 2020 when he brought a semi-automatic rifle to the protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man who was left paralyzed from the waist down.
The high-profile case sparked fury over whether Rittenhouse — who was part of a self-appointed militia — was a patriot taking a stand against a riot that broke out during the rally or simply a reckless vigilante.
Milwaukee resident Shequila Morrison reacted to the verdict clearing Rittenhouse with one word: “Bulls–t.
“When they called the National Guard in, we knew we would never get the verdict we were supposed to get,” Morrison, 38, said. “We knew this was the possibility. It’s a sad day for Kenosha.
“Race plays a part, because if it was me who shot people, I’d still be in jail,” said Morrison, who is black. “I would have still been in jail till my trial, and they probably would have put my ass underneath the jail.”
Another Kenosha resident said, “I’m not surprised. We all knew this was going to happen.”
But shortly after the verdict, the NRA tweeted, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he hoped “Kyle gets Sandmann money,” a reference to Nick Sandmann who settled a defamation suit after widely circulated images from 2019 showed him in a confrontation with a Native American man.
Kenosha bystander Patricia McCloskey also hailed the verdict as a win for gun rights.
“It’s a great day for America — First Amendment and Second Amendment. He was brave and did the right thing,’’ she said of Rittenhouse.
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