Rittenhouse: A new stage in American fascism

Aquittal gives green light to far right vigilantes: take a gun and claim self defence

Kyle Rittenhouse travelled to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to confront anti-racist demonstrators, illegally armed with an assault rifle; the 17 year old wandered around with the weapon, unimpeded by the police, and then shot three unarmed protesters, killing two.

Today a jury acquitted him on all counts.

His acquittal marks a significant moment in the advance of American fascism. In How To Stop Fascism, I argue we have to stop asking the pointless question “where does the line between rightwing populism and fascism drawn, between the harmless” — and start considering the fascist process.

Fascism is the product of a social breakdown, in which far right violence is unleashed at a level the state cannot or will not control. Both in Italy in 1920–22, and in Weimar Germany, the slide towards fascism was facilitated by the rise of unchecked and unpunished political murders.

Far right squads, militias and assassins terrorised both prominent leftwing politicians and local activists, in Italy achieving the neutralisation of a million-strong socialist peasant movement in four months.