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Last month, as protests against racist police brutality surged in Kenosha, Wisconsin, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse drove across state lines with an assault weapon and shot three protesters, killing two.
Rittenhouse was permitted by police to leave the scene, but was later arrested at his home in Illinois.
Conservative circles leapt to paint Rittenhouse as a hero who was acting in self-defense, leading some to condone vigilante justice, even when murder is committed.
During a Fox News interview with far-right host Sean Hannity, former Florida Attorney General and current Trump campaign surrogate Pam Bondi joined the ranks of those working to deify Rittenhouse.
Watch below.
For the second time tonight Fox News is unabashedly defending Kyle Rittenhouse with Pam Bondi calling him "a little boy out there trying to protect his community" pic.twitter.com/PzDKJVSDec
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) September 23, 2020
Bondi said:
"This kid was out there trying to help people. Were people killed? Absolutely, but again, we don't know yet. You've got a little boy out there trying to protect his community. Should he have been out there with a gun? No. But should he have been charged with murder? We just don't know yet."
Rittenhouse has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, along with five other charges. If convicted on the most serious charge, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Bondi's characterization of Rittenhouse as a sort of child martyr sparked outcry on the internet.
Kyle Rittenhouse was 17 yo when he crossed state lines with an AR-15.
He didn't go there to protect anyone or anything.
He went there to feel included in something.
You know, like in a cult.
He went to hurt people.
He's not a little boy. He's not going to be tried as one. https://t.co/ZwJLZj3NEN
— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) September 23, 2020
First on Tucker Carlson and now on Hannity. This is now two shows tonight on Fox that have defended vigilantism and murder.
This was not a little boy and he wasn't in his own community.
This network is rotten to the core. https://t.co/TOBySFEecg
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) September 23, 2020
He's from Illinois and drove in. But of course, "his community" is right wing code for "white supremacy". https://t.co/AOTEHg4jn5
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) September 23, 2020
Fox is defending a mass murdering 17 yo who went into the street with a rifle to shoot unarmed protesters. If you can't see that Fox is a malignant tumor on the American mind I can't help you. https://t.co/MVV93BePdl
— Touré (@Toure) September 23, 2020
This is grotesque! Kyle & his Mom drove from a completely different city, w/high-powered weapon & the express intent to assassinate people.
It was as premeditated as it gets.
He should be tried as an adult and face the highest available penalty for murder in the first. https://t.co/FMN5aiKESJ
— Pam Keith (@PamKeithFL) September 23, 2020
People noted the double standard applied to white male murderers like Rittenhouse versus Black children who have been killed, including Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin.
When it's a white kid who's 17 it's “ little boy “ when it's Trayvon martin who's black it's “ grown man who's a threat “ lmao okay got it pic.twitter.com/vu4ceGBqXJ
— John (@iam_johnw) September 23, 2020
So. Just so we're all clear about what was just said. Rittenhouse (17) was a scared little boy who had a gun. He doesn't deserve punishment for killing people. But Tamir Rice (12) who had a toy gun, deserved to die because “how could the cop know?" Do you see what we're saying.. https://t.co/ns28UAKd3m
— Josh Reed (@ReedAboutMe80) September 23, 2020
Can't remember for sure, but didn't the whites at Fox news say that Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice looked "big for their age" so their murders were justified? https://t.co/gI1tBQi8ja
— Davepool (@BlerdHumor) September 23, 2020
Rittenhouse has been charged as an adult.