US President Joe Biden has called for “calm” and against “violence and property destruction” after acquitting a teenager who killed two men in 2020 during protests against police violence against blacks.
“This decision angered and worried many Americans, including me,” the Democrat said in a statement.
“I promised to unite Americans because I believe that what unites us is much more than what divides us. I know that we will not heal the wounds of our country overnight, but I remain firmly committed to my commitment to everything in my power to ensure that all Americans are treated equally, fairly and with dignity, in accordance with the law, ”it says.
However, Joe Biden urged “everyone to express their opinion peacefully and with respect for the law.”
“There is no place for violence and property destruction in our democracy. The White House and federal authorities are in contact with the governor’s office. [Tony] Evers [do Estado do Wisconsin] “Foresee any consequences,” he stressed.
The head of state also stressed that on Friday afternoon he spoke with the governor and offered “support and any assistance necessary to ensure public safety.”
American teen Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two men and injured a third in 2020 during protests against police violence against blacks in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was acquitted of all charges Friday.
A 12-man jury delivered the verdict after three and a half days of discussion behind closed doors, after Rittenhouse declared self-defense in shooting, which was at the center of a nationwide debate about gun ownership, vigilantes seeking justice. their own hands and racial injustice in the United States.
The 18-year-old Rittenhouse could be sentenced to life in prison – a sentence the prosecution demands if he were found guilty on the most serious charge against him: aggravated murder.
He was also charged with murder, attempted murder and a threat to public safety by killing two men and wounding a third with a semi-automatic weapon during the night of anti-racial protests in the tumultuous summer of 2020.
The flawless teenager is white, like the people he killed and wounded. The jury was also mostly white.
