Protests Planned In Chicago After Rittenhouse Not Guilty Verdict

CHICAGO, IL — At least two protests are planned in Chicago for tonight following a not guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. That verdict came back early on Friday afternoon.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation - Chicago and the Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice, both groups that supported a guilty verdict in the Rittenhouse case, are organizing the events.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation - Chicago protest will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday outside the Federal Center and Plaza, 219 S. Dearborn St. The group hopes to "mobilize to show that the fight against racist vigilante and police terror continues," according to a Facebook post announcing the event.

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"Everyone who believes in opposing racism, police terror, and facism should join us in the streets," according to the event post.

It's unclear how many people will be at the protest, but organizer Patrick McWilliams told Patch Thursday that there are thousands of people in the city "who agree with our perspective and would want to make their voices heard."

"We called this action because we believe that regardless of the outcome, it's important that the people come out to make clear that we oppose all manifestations of right-wing vigilantism in this country," McWilliams told Patch in a statement Thursday. "There is of course a long, ugly and unfortunate history of this kind of violence in the US, from lynchings by racist mobs, to the organized terror of the KKK. We see Rittenhouse as a sad continuation of this trend that is being revived partly as a response to the wave of righteous uprisings against racism in 2020 that fundamentally shook this country."

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot reacted to the verdict in a statement Friday.

"I am aware of the jury’s verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case, and under our constitutional system, we must respect the jury’s decision," she said. "However, no one should ever take the law into their own hands, or attempt to make themselves the judge, jury, and executioner. What Kyle Rittenhouse did was reckless, dangerous, and showed an utter disregard for human life. My condolences go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time. Let us also remember and pray for Jacob Blake and his family as he continues his journey of rehabilitation."

During the two-week trial, Rittenhouse's lawyers have repeatedly denied their client has ties to vigilante groups. While on the stand last week, Rittenhouse claimed he acted in self-defense when he turned his gun on protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 25, 2020, after feeling threatened that they may take his AR-15 rifle and use it on him.

McWilliams said a not guilty verdict in the case "will further cement a very dangerous precedent where there is legal sanction for any armed racist to go and shoot and kill protesters as long as they can claim that they were 'afraid', even due to a situation of their own making."

The Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice is also organizing a protest, which will be held at 7 p.m. Friday. Their protest will be held at 201 E. Randolph St.

Both groups wanted to see a guilty verdict in the case.

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Rittenhouse was acquitted of first-degree reckless homicide first degree recklessly endangering safety, two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, on the third night of protests sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white police officer.

A jury returned a verdict just before 12:30 p.m. after more than three days of deliberations.

Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday that 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops would wait near Kenosha to deal with any issues once the verdict is announced.

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