Protests and riots broke out across the United States over the weekend after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges. Demonstrators took aim at Rittenhouse, spray painting “Kill Kyle” and smashing a cop car while shouting anti-police chants demanding nationwide precincts be burned to the ground.
Hours after the jury returned the not guilty verdict, a riot was declared in Portland, Oregon. Independent journalist Andy Ngo shared images of graffiti in Portland that called for the murder of Rittenhouse.
“Downtown Portland is further vandalized with #antifa graffiti calling for the murder of Kyle #Rittenhouse & law enforcement,” Ngo tweeted. “Antifa put up the violent extremist messages at central @PortlandPolice station during their violent riot on Friday night.”
Self-described freelance photojournalist Mathieu Lewis-Rolland tweeted video of the riot in Portland that showed police announcing that the demonstration had been officially declared a riot.
“The gathering is declared a riot. All persons leave the area now,” the police announced through a loudspeaker, according to the video.
Shortly after the gathering was declared a riot, demonstrators chanted “Kyle is a terrorist.”
Ngo shared additional photos on the Portland riots, writing that “antifa” in the city attempted to break into the Justice Center in an effort to “burn it down.”
Ngo said the rioters also attacked police, smashed at least one vehicle and targeted other buildings.
In New York, protesters blocked streets in Brooklyn while shouting anti-Rittenhouse chants.
“#BlackLivesMatter Activists shut down the streets of Brooklyn NY in response of the #KyleRittenhouse case they chant ‘HEY HEY HO HO THESE RACIST COPS HAVE GOT TO GO,” Leeroy Johnson tweeted, along with video of the scene.
Johnson also posted video showing the protesters shouting anti-police chants.
“#BlackLivesMatter Activists take to the streets of Brooklyn NY in response of the #KyleRittenhouseTrial and chant ‘EVERY CITY EVERY TOWN BURN THE PRECINCT TO THE GROUND ” #NYPD#NYC,” he tweeted.
The New York Police Department tweeted that while they support American’s First Amendment right to peacefully protest, violent demonstrators “will be arrested.”
“The NYPD takes its responsibility to protect the 1st amendment rights of peaceful demonstrators seriously. Just as important is the safety of NYers & the protection of property from people breaking the law in the name of protest. As seen tonight in Queens, they will be arrested,” the NYPD tweeted.
In Los Angeles, rioters smashed the windows of a bank and spray-painted “Kill Kyle” on a bus stop.
“Hollywood: Antifa militants smashed the windows of a Chase bank in retaliation to the #Rittenhouse verdict. ‘Kill Kyle’ was spray painted on a bus stop in front of the bank,” Tomas Morales tweeted.
In Denver, demonstrators blocked traffic and hit passing trucks while shouting “no justice, no peace” and “f–k Kyle Rittenhouse.”
