Will the Rittenhouse verdict affect how we protest?

Earlier this month, Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty of all charges from the fatal shootings in Wisconsin during protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake by a white cop.

Now, demonstrators are worried they should not only fear police brutality while protesting, but also rightwing vigilantes who have been emboldened by the verdict.

Some activists say the ruling has created a de facto “stand your ground” law for the whole country—or at least white people who may feel empowered to defend themselves with force if they feel threatened.

Many bring up the discrepancies between how white people and people of color who use force to defend themselves are treated.

For example, Chrystul Kizer was a child sex trafficking survivor, also in Wisconsin, who at 17 shot and killed her abuser and now faces life in prison. After the Rittenhouse verdict, there’s now a renewed demand for justice Kizer. Because as many have pointed out, she hasn’t benefited from any “stand your ground” leniency as Rittenhouse has.

One thing this ruling makes clear once again is that it’s increasingly dangerous to protest in public—especially ?for people of color.