Teenager Kyle Rittenhouse, the accused in the deadly Kenosha shootings in Wisconsin was acquitted of all charges on Friday after he testified that he acted in self-defense. Rittenhouse had shot three people, two of them who died during protests that raged in Kenosha over racial injustice last year. While many considered the 18-year-old to be a guilty of gun violence, others felt he had just defended himself and social media too debated the subject over the past few weeks as the trial initiated earlier this month. Rittenhouse’s reaction was that of a huge relief as he fell forward toward the defense table and then hugged one of his lawyers amid a court clerk reciting ‘not guilty’ five times for him, the Associated Press reported.
But the verdict evoked strongest of reactions on social media as ‘white privilege’ and ‘white supremacy’ trended on Twitter. Pennsylvania State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta tweeted, calling the verdict ‘not justice’.
Kyle Rittenhouse went across state lines with a gun he should not have had — murdered two people, injured another and will walk free. This isn’t justice.
— Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) November 19, 2021
Colin Kaepernick, a former football quarterback and activist, also tweeted after the verdict that ‘we just witnessed a system built on white supremacy validate the terroristic acts of a white supremacist.’
We just witnessed a system built on white supremacy validate the terroristic acts of a white supremacist. This only further validates the need to abolish our current system. White supremacy cannot be reformed.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 19, 2021
So basically if you’re white even when you drive to a protest with the expressed interest in killing, armed with an AR15 you can still claim YOU were fearful for YOUR life. But if you’re black, you can’t even survive being pulled over for a broken taillight. #WhiteSupremacy— larakaruna (@larakaruna) November 20, 2021
The disgusting truth. pic.twitter.com/aaIIsnwjBL— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) November 19, 2021
I am going in the middle of the ocean heavily armed, swim with 100 sharks, then execute them in "Self-defense"#KyleRittenhouse #killerhouse #WhiteSupremacy #RepublicansAreTheProblem #cowardwithGuns— hamzterix (@hamzterix11) November 20, 2021
The Donald wishes he was #Rittenhouse , oh the #WhiteSupremacy privilege— unSettled (@huntgbj) November 20, 2021
On the other spectrum were those who came out in support of Rittenhouse, prominent among them was former President Donald Trump. “Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges. It’s called being found NOT GUILTY—And by the way, if that’s not self defense, nothing is!” the former president gave out a statement through his spokesperson Liz Harrington.
NEW!"Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges. It’s called being found NOT GUILTY—And by the way, if that’s not self defense, nothing is!" - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/D56gd2K56f
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) November 19, 2021
The Black Lives Matter’s Twitter handle also posted a tweet condemning the verdict.
Reminder: the system is working exactly as it is meant to. The system was always meant to protect and uphold white supremacy.— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) November 19, 2021
Just a reminder of what white privilege looks like. #RittenhouseVerdict pic.twitter.com/ww7mY3xfxc— Millie AKA Mimi (@mimpsof3) November 19, 2021
President Joe Biden, while acknowledging that the verdict will “leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included", he called on his countrymen to ‘express their views peacefully’.
The Rittenhouse case while being one of the high profile cases, has also drawn considerable interest due to its presiding judge. Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder had earlier after he cracked a ‘joke’ about Asian food in the courtroom earlier last week.
Judge Schroeder has continued to make headlines throughout the Rittenhouse trial, by siding with the defense in many instances and also by refusing motions to admit evidence by prosecutors showing Kyle Rittenhouse’s involvement in an earlier instance of fight.
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