The teen said during the trial that he defended himself and did nothing wrong. He would have been cornered, but the American judiciary charged him with, among other things, murder and manslaughter.
The prosecutor called Rittenhouse a “fake soldier” who was responsible for much more unrest, as he took a rifle to the protest and pointed the weapon at protesters before he was arrested.
Restless for days
In Kenosha, the streets of Kenosha last summer for days after a black man, Jacob Blake, was shot by a white cop. Blake survived, but was partially paralyzed. It turned out he had a knife in his car.
The officers involved were no charge and that led to protests. Demonstrations, which were initially peaceful, turned grim in the evenings, turning into arson and looting.
Rittenhouse went to Kenosha on the third night, claiming to protect local business owners. He also had equipment with him to provide first aid to the injured. He stated in the trial that he had cared for some people, that he had removed graffiti from a wall and put out a fire at a church.
Asked about how he came to kill his victims, Rittenhouse stated in court that the first man cornered him and grabbed his gun, fearing the man would use it against him. The second man had hit him with a skateboard and the third had come at him with his own firearm. All three victims were white.
Armed vigilante
The case is causing a stir in the US. Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement say Rittenhouse and his allies have heightened the situation with their armed vigilantes. Left-wing Americans consider it an example of the danger of the free American arms policy.
On the contrary, part of right-wing America sees Rittenhouse as someone who tried to keep order and rightly defended himself when he was attacked.
There is a fear of unrest after the verdict. 500 National Guard members stand by to maintain order in Kenosha.
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