Photos: Kyle Rittenhouse Supporters, Black Lives Matter Gather Outside Courthouse Ahead of Verdict

Joshua CaplanNovember 16, 2021

Supporters and opponents of Kyle Rittenhouse gathered Tuesday outside the Kenosha County Courthouse as the nation awaits the jury’s verdict in the 18-year-old’s trial.

Footage shared to social media shows Rittenhouse supporters and Black Lives Matter activists engaging in duelling chants. Spotted among the group of BLM supporters was Justin Blake, the uncle of Jacob Blake — the African-American male whose shooting by police sparked violence and riots in Kenosha. During the riot, Rittenhouse shot and killed two individuals in what he told the court was an act of self-defense. At the time of Blake’s shooting, there was a warrant for his arrest for “third-degree sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct. A knife was found in his vehicle at the time, according to Wisconsin authorities.

On the courthouse steps In Kenosha Black Lives Matter demonstrators and Justin Blake, Jacob Blake’s uncle, chanting pic.twitter.com/tVPUaLr3Tv

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

KENOSHA, WI - NOVEMBER 15: Bill Gregory demonstrates in favor of conviction at the Kenosha County Courthouse before closing arguments are delivered in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse on November 15, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.The jury will begin deliberations after hearing closing arguments. Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while being arrested in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with an assault rifle. He faces counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide.(Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Bill Gregory demonstrates in favor of conviction at the Kenosha County Courthouse before closing arguments are delivered in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse on November 15, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

The BLM supporters could be seen holding signs that read “justice for the victims,” with the logo of left-wing activist Jesse Jackson’s civil rights group, Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Protesters hold signs outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wis., during the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Federico Garcia says he lived in Kenosha for 47 years, he says people here are preparing for a protest today.

(en español) pic.twitter.com/20EIPOArIm

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

Kenosha resident Federico Garcia said he believes that the jury could convict Rittenhouse in order to avoid riots.

For context: there are very few demonstrators on either side. The courthouse steps look like this: pic.twitter.com/ugUQQ1MzbW

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

Some arguments between pro and anti-Rittenhouse demonstrators broke out. Two men wore shirts that read “shoot your local pedophile,” an apparent reference to one of the men killed by Rittenhouse — Joseph Rosenbaum — who was convicted of having sexually relations with a minor in Arizona in 2002.

KENOSHA, WI - NOVEMBER 16: A supporter of Kyle Rittenhouse (L) argues with a Black Lives Matter supporter in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse while the jury deliberates the Rittenhouse trial on November 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while being arrested in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with an assault rifle. He faces counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Protesters confront each other outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, in Kenosha, Wis., during the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

This man is acting as “security” for a news crew pic.twitter.com/fGV6kOTF3a

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

Wisconsin legislator Robert W. Wirch says he hasn’t followed the trial as closely as others and it’s up to the jury to decide, but that there should be “some kind of punishment for shooting people.” pic.twitter.com/MFe896NESN

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

KENOSHA, WI - NOVEMBER 16: Supporters of Kyle Rittenhouse stand in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse while the jury deliberates the Rittenhouse trial on November 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while being arrested in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with an assault rifle. He faces counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Black Lives Matter supporters on the steps of the Kenosha courthouse pic.twitter.com/9XHVcRFw8b

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

A protester holds a flag outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wis., during the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A protester holds a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

As the day went on, more confrontations occurred between Rittenhouse supporters and other groups.

Some scuffles outside the courthouse between opposing groups pic.twitter.com/qC4RMbctTh

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

The street scuffles prompted local law enforcement to move the crowds of people onto the sidewalk.

Kenosha Sheriffs move the crowds on the sidewalk after some scuffles in the street pic.twitter.com/WzxdWAbp2L

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 16, 2021

Earlier Tuesday, 12 jurors began to deliberate the verdict in Rittenhouse’s trial, with observers saying that a decision could come as early as today.

KENOSHA, WI - NOVEMBER 16: Robert Mollenhauer wears a shirt reading Welcome to Kenosha in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse while the jury deliberates the Rittenhouse trial on November 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while being arrested in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with an assault rifle. He faces counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Mark McCloskey, the lawyer who announced a run for U.S. Senate in Missouri after similarly facing a gun charge during a Black Lives Matter protest, also appeared at the scene.

Mark McCloskey, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Missouri, and his wife Patricia McCloskey walk outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wis., during the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Mark McCloskey and his wife Patricia McCloskey walk outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Rittenhouse, 18, faces five charges, including reckless homicide in the first degree for killing Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber with his assault-style rifle and first-degree attempted homicide for wounding medic Gaige Grosskreutz on Aug. 25, 2020.

Before Judge Bruce Schroeder turned the case over to the jury on Monday, he dismissed a misdemeanor weapons charge and a non-criminal violation of failure to comply with an order for violating a curfew.

The UPI contributed to this report.