Fight Breaks Out Between Protesters, Rittenhouse Supporters Outside Court After Verdict

Emotions got the better of some people gathered outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Wisconsin after the announcement that Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all counts by a jury after four days of deliberation.

One particularly heated exchange was captured during a CNN interview with the family of Jacob Blake. A Blake supporter and a man holding a "Free Kyle" sign argued briefly about the fairness of the trial.

The Blake supporter called the sign-holding man "ignorant" and said the verdict came only because of an "all-white jury."

The man claimed he previously said he would respect the case verdict "regardless," though the woman argued he was nervous before the news was announced.

"She's wrong. She's vocal, but she's wrong," he countered.

Lisa Bennatan, a producer/writer for Fox News, posted the tense moment on Twitter.

Rittenhouse was acquitted of all felony charges, including first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide.

He had originally faced an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor, but that charge was dismissed by Judge Bruce Schroeder on Monday.

Throughout the trial, Rittenhouse's defense team argued that he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injured Gaige Grosskreutz.

Jacob Blake is the Black man from Kenosha who was shot seven times by a police officer in the summer of 2020. The shooting led to the Black Lives Matter protest during which Rittenhouse, then 17 years old, shot three people, killing two.

Rittenhouse became emotional when he took the stand last Wednesday.

"I didn't do anything wrong. I defended myself," he testified.

After he began hyperventilating, the courtroom was forced to break for a brief recess.

Defense attorney Mark Richards spoke to the press Friday after the verdict was read.

"He did not start this," Richards said. "We are thankful the jury finally got to hear the true story. The story that came out from the beginning was not the true story. That was something we had to work to overcome that in court."

There have been other reports of verbal altercations all week between the different sides gathered outside the courthouse. On Wednesday, police were forced to intervene after a protester grabbed for another protester's sign, then one was allegedly attacked.

The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office later said two people were arrested as a result of the Wednesday incident. One of those arrested is also facing bail-jumping charges related to a past criminal record.