Thread by @splcenter

Today, a jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse for the murders of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and the attempted murder of Gaige Grosskreutz.

SPLC President and CEO @MargaretLHuang issued the following in response to the lack of justice: splcenter.org/presscenter/so…

“Our hearts are with the victims in this case – the individuals killed & wounded by Kyle Rittenhouse as well as the families & community torn apart by the consequences of this deadly violence.

The acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse will add fuel to the fire of armed radicalization in America.

That a white male youth can travel across state lines, armed with an assault rifle & engage in armed confrontation resulting in multiple deaths without facing criminal accountability, is the all too familiar outcome in a country where systemic racism continues to rot the system.

“Far-right extremists have already published a deluge of propaganda lionizing Kyle Rittenhouse, and his acquittal is likely to further embolden them to pretend that his violent actions were somehow heroic.

“We will continue to see this sort of violence repeat itself in towns across the country unless we, as a nation, move toward greater prevention of radicalization, countering the antidemocratic hate that enabled the #Kenosha violence, and end the systemic racism that supports it.”