American Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two anti-racist protesters in 2020, has been found not guilty.
The 18-year-old pleaded self-defense throughout his trial. He was acquitted of all five charges against him, including murder, by jurors in the state of Wisconsin.
"The jury has reached the right verdict," said Kyle Rittenhouse on conservative television station Fox News. “Self-defense is not illegal. It was a difficult journey but we did it. ” The young man faced life imprisonment.
SELF-DEFENSE ?
The facts took place in August 2020 in Kenosha (Wisconsin). Numerous protests were organized against police violence and racism following the murder of African-American George Floyd by a white policeman. Kyle Rittenhouse, then aged 17, had joined armed groups that had come to "protect" businesses from demonstrators.
Under confusing circumstances, he killed two men aged 26 and 36, and wounded a third with a semi-automatic rifle. The teenager assured during the trial that the three men had chased him, and that he had fired in defense.
UNITED STATES DIVIDED
In the United States, Kyle Rittenhouse creates controversy. Several right-wing organizations support him, and consider that the 2020 demonstrations were the work of anarchists. On the contrary, for the supporters of better regulation of firearms, Kyle Rittenhouse represents the excesses of the right to self-defense.
His acquittal was greeted with several protests in New York, Chicago and Portland. 500 National Guard soldiers were also on standby in Wisconsin.
Democratic President Joe Biden said he was "worried and angry" but called on the people to respect the verdict. As for Donald Trump, former conservative president and pro weapons, he congratulated Kyle Rittenhouse in a press release. "If that's not self-defense, nothing is!"
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