Police Across US Brace for Possible Weekend of Unrest After Rittenhouse Verdict

On Friday, US President Joe Biden said that he stands by the not guilty verdict delivered in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, adding that the jury system works. Former POTUS Donald Trump, for his part, congratulated Kyle Rittenhouse on his acquittal.

Police in major cities across the US are bracing for possible unrest through the weekend after Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges, including reckless and intentional homicide, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

There are already 500 National Guard troops on standby in Kenosha amid concerns of potential violence in such cities as Chicago, Washington, New York, and Los Angeles, among others.

This comes as the American public remains at odds over the Rittenhouse case, with one camp insisting that the 18-year-old was guilty and needed to be convicted, and advocates of the opposite arguing that the case was "political" and that accusations against the teenager were fuelled by a "left-wing cult".

Kyle Rittenhouse waits for court to begin during the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha (Wisconsin) Circuit Court in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., November 9, 2021.

© REUTERS / POOL

Fox News cited a police department spokesperson in Milwaukee as saying that they had not received any credible threats to the city and that the department respects people's rights in sync with the First Amendment, which guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.

Police in Washington, DC, said that they were monitoring events across the country in light of Rittenhouse's acquittal. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said in a statement that they maintain "a level of preparation that would allow it [the MPD] to respond appropriately to any emerging concerns that may arise should it become necessary".

The New York City Police Department (NYPD), in turn, did not elaborate on any specific preparations for possible violence over public reaction to the Rittenhouse verdict, but admitted that the NYPD protects the "constitutional right to peaceful protest".

The LAPD (Los Angelese Police Department) told Fox News that they have available resources, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that while they were not aware of any threats, they remain on standby to address any unrest pertaining to Rittenhouse's acquittal.

"Sheriff Alex Villanueva is a strong supporter of the First Amendment and the people's right to protest, but if actions become violent or shift into lawlessness, swift and decisive action will be taken to protect life, protect property, and maintain order in a fair, firm, and impartial manner", a department spokesperson stressed.

The Chicago Police Department reported no additional deployments on Friday, but added that they were monitoring developments to maintain public order.

Trump Congratulates Rittenhouse for 'Being Found Innocent'

Former US President Donald Trump has, meanwhile, extended his congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse "for being found innocent of all charges". The ex-POTUS added in an emailed statement that "it's called being found not guilty - and by the way, if that’s not self-defence, nothing is!"

The remarks were followed by an appeal from WinRed, a GOP fundraising platform endorsed by the Republican National Committee.

"This trial was nothing more than a witch hunt from the Radical Left. They want to punish law-abiding citizens, including a child, like Kyle Rittenhouse, for doing nothing more than following the law", an emailed appeal read.

US President Joe Biden, for his part, called for a peaceful expression of "views" after the jury's verdict in the Rittenhouse trial, adding that the ruling left him "angry and concerned".

"I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law. Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy", POTUS said.

Earlier on Friday, the jury in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges, including reckless homicide, intentional homicide, and attempted intentional homicide, for shooting three men, killing two, during riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020.

Rittenhouse argued that the shootings occurred in self-defence after he was threatened, pursued, and attacked by three men during the riots in Kenosha. Rittehnouse was armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 firearm during the incidents when a mob chased him.

The killings took place amid a series of protests and violent rioting that hit Kenosha after a video of a white police officer shooting African American man Jacob Blake in the back seven times emerged online. The 29-year-old survived the shooting, but remains paralysed from the waist down.