Tucker Carlson sparks backlash saying Kenosha gunman was ‘maintaining order’
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Fox News host Tucker Carlson is accused of ‘justifying murder’ by saying teenage Kenosha gunman charged with killing two protesters was ‘maintaining order when no one else would’ and asking viewers ‘are we really surprised?’
- Fox News host Carlson made the remarks on his show on Wednesday night
- They immediately sparked outrage and #FireTuckerCarlson started trending
- Many claimed he was justifying murder and would incite further violence
- Others defended him, saying he was pointing out how police in some states and cities had lost control
- Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, is accused of shooting dead two protesters on Tuesday night
- The teenager was patrolling the streets of Kenosha – some 20 miles from his hometown in Illinois – claiming he was there to protect businesses
- He tried to surrender to police on Tuesday night, walking towards them with his hands in the air but nothing was done
- Riots have raged in Kenosha now for four nights in outrage over the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was wounded by cops in front of his kids
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been accused of justifying murder by claiming on Wednesday night that the teenage Kenosha gunman charged with killing two protesters was ‘maintaining order when no one else would’.
‘Are we really surprised this looting and arson accelerated to murder? How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would? Everyone can see what was happening in Kenosha.
‘It was getting crazier by the hour,’ Carlson said during his show.
He was referring to Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old Trump fan who was filmed patrolling the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night with an illegal AR-15, claiming he was a ‘vigilante’ who was there to protect businesses. He has been charged with first degree murder.
Carlson’s remarks immediately sparked outrage on Twitter, where critics claimed he was justifying violence and might incite further mayhem.
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Tucker Carlson on Wednesday night sparked controversy by asking viewers if they were ‘surprised’ by the shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that teenager Kyle Rittenhouse has been charged with
#FireTuckerCarlson is now trending and celebrities including Jon Favreau and Billy Eichner are among those leading the charge.
Fox News did not immediately respond to inquiries on Thursday morning. While many admonished Carlson for his remarks, others defended him.
Rittenhouse, 17, has been charged with murder
They said he was merely pointing out how out of control America in 2020 had become.
Rittenhouse was on Wednesday the following day in his hometown of Antioch, Illinois, 20 miles away on suspicion first degree murder. He’s accused of shooting dead two protesters, whose deaths were captured in disturbing videos from Tuesday night’s riots.
Other videos from the night showed the teen appearing to surrender to police, walking towards them with his hands in the air while protesters around him screamed at the cops to arrest him because he’d ‘just shot’ multiple people.
They let him go. Earlier in the night, the cops gave out water to a group of armed militia, like Rittenhouse, and thanked them for coming to join them to protect the city.
The shootings and the growing number of armed vigilantes on the streets of Kenosha – where a 7pm-7am curfew is now in place’ – has sparked debate about the role of police in America and how civilians have begun stepping into defend their cities.
It feeds into the theme of the Republican National Convention where all throughout this week, senior Trump aides and relatives have warned voters the country will not be safe from the riots, looting and violence seen in recent months unless he is re-elected.
Others defended Carlson, saying he was ‘speaking unfiltered truth’
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