Supporters and opponents of Kyle Rittenhouse gathered Tuesday outside the Kenosha County Courthouse as the nation awaits the jury’s verdict in the 18-year-old’s trial.
Footage shared to social media shows Rittenhouse supporters and Black Lives Matter activists engaging in duelling chants. Spotted among the group of BLM supporters was Justin Blake, the uncle of Jacob Blake — the African-American male whose shooting by police sparked violence and riots in Kenosha. During the riot, Rittenhouse shot and killed two individuals in what he told the court was an act of self-defense. At the time of Blake’s shooting, there was a warrant for his arrest for “third-degree sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct. A knife was found in his vehicle at the time, according to Wisconsin authorities.
Bill Gregory demonstrates in favor of conviction at the Kenosha County Courthouse before closing arguments are delivered in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse on November 15, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
The BLM supporters could be seen holding signs that read “justice for the victims,” with the logo of left-wing activist Jesse Jackson’s civil rights group, Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Kenosha resident Federico Garcia said he believes that the jury could convict Rittenhouse in order to avoid riots.
Some arguments between pro and anti-Rittenhouse demonstrators broke out. Two men wore shirts that read “shoot your local pedophile,” an apparent reference to one of the men killed by Rittenhouse — Joseph Rosenbaum — who was convicted of having sexually relations with a minor in Arizona in 2002.
As the day went on, more confrontations occurred between Rittenhouse supporters and other groups.
The street scuffles prompted local law enforcement to move the crowds of people onto the sidewalk.
Earlier Tuesday, 12 jurors began to deliberate the verdict in Rittenhouse’s trial, with observers saying that a decision could come as early as today.
Mark McCloskey, the lawyer who announced a run for U.S. Senate in Missouri after similarly facing a gun charge during a Black Lives Matter protest, also appeared at the scene.
Mark McCloskey and his wife Patricia McCloskey walk outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Rittenhouse, 18, faces five charges, including reckless homicide in the first degree for killing Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber with his assault-style rifle and first-degree attempted homicide for wounding medic Gaige Grosskreutz on Aug. 25, 2020.
Before Judge Bruce Schroeder turned the case over to the jury on Monday, he dismissed a misdemeanor weapons charge and a non-criminal violation of failure to comply with an order for violating a curfew.
The UPI contributed to this report.