A riot broke out in Portland, Oregon Friday night after a jury cleared Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges related to the shooting deaths of two people last year.
Rittenhouse, 18, had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide, and reckless endangering after killing two men and wounding a third with a semi-automatic rifle after they came after him.
The shooting took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin when Rittenhouse took to the streets to oppose the violent, lawless rioting that had destroyed businesses during protests over police violence against black people in the summer of 2020.
In a series of tweets Friday night, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) stated that a crowd was “breaking windows and damaging doors of city facilities” as well as throwing objects at officers.
A crowd has gathered near SE 2nd Avenue and SE Madison Street and participants have begun breaking windows and damaging doors of city facilities in the area. People are throwing objects at police officers in the area.
— PPB Event Messages (@PPBAlerts) November 20, 2021
To those gathered near the Justice Center: This gathering is a riot. All persons leave the area now. Travel to the west. Failure to adhere to this order may subject you to detention, citation and or arrest. You are subject to force to include pepper spray and impact weapons.
— PPB Event Messages (@PPBAlerts) November 20, 2021
Moments later, PPB tweeted that a riot had been declared as the unruly protesters became more destructive.
Portland police have declared a riot tonight after demonstrators gathered downtown to protest the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial pic.twitter.com/7OBjgFvkbo
— Zane Sparling (@PDXzane) November 20, 2021
A reporter with The Portland Tribune shared photos of the vandalism and protestors facing off with police.
“Here in Portland especially it’s reasonable to expect there will be some sort of reaction to the verdict and as we’ve said many times we’re supportive of peaceful protest, people exercising first amendment rights,” said PPB Chief Chuck Lovell. “It’s when people engage in criminal activity, violence, destruction, and vandalism that we have issues.”
Meanwhile, in Kenosha, police arrested someone Friday evening for writing “Judge Schroeder must go” on the outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse.
#breaking Someone arrested outside Kenosha Co Courthouse for writing on the courthouse steps here pic.twitter.com/btLnlRlR4A
— Michele Fiore (@michelehana) November 20, 2021
Shortly after the Rittenhouse verdict was announced, reactions from public officials and politicians were shared on social media.
While addressing reporters Friday, President Biden said he stands by the jury’s decision.
“I stand by what the jury has concluded. The jury system works,” Biden said.
In a later statement, the president urged Americans to express their views on the Rittenhouse verdict peacefully.
“While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken. I ran on a promise to bring Americans together because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.”
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, wrote on Twitter, “Justice is not just about verdicts. It is a continuum. We can galvanize around changing our culture, including challenging the difference in how a Black male teen would have been engaged in Kenosha.”
I know so many are weary and tired.
But justice is not just about verdicts.
It is a continuum.
We can galvanize around changing our culture, including challenging the difference in how a Black male teen would have been engaged in Kenosha.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) November 19, 2021
The NAACP tweeted, “The verdict in the #KyleRittenhouse case is a travesty and fails to deliver justice on behalf of those who lost their lives as they peacefully assembled to protest against police brutality and violence.”
The verdict in the #KyleRittenhouse case is a travesty and fails to deliver justice on behalf of those who lost their lives as they peacefully assembled to protest against police brutality and violence.
— NAACP (@NAACP) November 19, 2021
And Former President Donald Trump issued a brief statement that read, “If that’s not self-defense, nothing is!”
Donald Trump has issued statement on #Rittenhouse verdict: pic.twitter.com/WIyTtGStGV
— Bree A Dail (@breeadail) November 19, 2021
Rittenhouse was 17 when he went from his home in Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha after businesses in the city were ransacked and burned after a white police officer shot and injured a black man named Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse joined other armed citizens in what he said was an effort to protect property and provide medical aid.
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