The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict is causing protests in several cities: NPR

A protester raises his fist as he marches in the street during a protest against the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict near the Barclays Center in New York City on Friday.

Yuki Iwamura / AFP via Getty Images

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Yuki Iwamura / AFP via Getty Images

A protester raises his fist as he marches in the street during a protest against the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict near the Barclays Center in New York City on Friday.

Yuki Iwamura / AFP via Getty Images

Following the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, protests have erupted in a number of cities across the country.

Rittenhouse was acquitted on Friday of all charges in connection with a shooting in 2020 during riots in Kenosha, Wis., In connection with the former police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man. Rittenhouse fatally shot two men and wounded another after traveling from his home state of Illinois with a combat rifle to Kenosha; he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, wounding 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz. His lawyers claimed he was acting in self-defense.

The case ignited a storm of media attention and strong and differing opinions.

After the verdict was read, outrage and, for some, celebration outside the courthouse, where protesters had gathered during the trial, according to Kenosha News.

Friday night, protests erupted in several cities across the country. Authorities in Portland, Ore., referred to an incident near the Multnomah County Justice Center as a riot and warned everyone present to leave the area or risk being met by force. The Portland Police Bureau said a “significant portion of the crowd” was involved in “violent, destructive behavior” that included smashing windows and throwing objects at officers on the spot.

About 200 protesters gathered that evening in the local Portland area of ​​downtown COIN reports. One person was arrested, however, in connection with an outstanding order, according to the business. Another received a criminal statement; others who were stopped in their cars received quotes and warnings, police said. Most of the crowd reportedly disappeared at 11pm that evening.

In Chicago, between 60 and 100 protesters gathered near the Federal Plaza to march downtown and reached Michigan Avenue and Madison Street before being stopped by police. CBS Chicago reports. The store also reports that robberies that took place in a number of shops in the area were not proven to be linked to any demonstrations, and police have confirmed that looting allegations they received were not true.

The party for socialism and liberation was, according to the organizer of Friday’s demonstration in Chicago Chicago Sun-Times. Protesters are reportedly planning to take part in another protest, again at the Federal Plaza, Saturday night.

Similar scenes took place in New York City and California. About 200 people gathered near the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to protest Rittenhouse’s acquittal. New York Daily News reports. The group came to Brooklyn Bridge without any arrests, but another demonstration in Queens ended with five men being remanded in custody, the newspaper reports.

And in California, protesters gathered Oakland, San Diego and The angels.