Facebook removing posts supporting Kyle Rittenhouse. Company says shooting was a 'mass murder'



Facebook has reportedly opted to remove social media posts supporting 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, declaring that the shooting he was involved with to be a "mass murder."

Rittenhouse faces murder charges after he allegedly killed two rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and wounded another on Aug. 25 during ongoing protests.

What are the details?

On Tuesday, conservative author and YouTuber Mark Dice said he received a notice from Facebook, threatening a suspension, after he shared video of Rittenhouse offering medical aid to wounded Kenosha protesters.

He shared a Twitter update on the threat of suspension, writing, "Facebook just removed a video I posted showing Kyle Rittenhouse offering help to a wounded protester in Kenosha and are threatening to delete my entire account."

Facebook just removed a video I posted showing Kyle Rittenhouse offering help to a wounded protester in Kenosha and… https://t.co/FXRfBL7YgO
— Mark Dice (@Mark Dice)1599010406.0

Dice's original post said, "Newly uncovered video of Kyle Rittenhouse shows him helping an injured protester after she was struck in the foot with a projectile. In another video he told the cameraman that he'd brought a medical kit, which is the bag he was carrying. Further proving he had no malicious intent by showing up. In fact, he was there to help anyone who needed it."

In a statement, a Facebook spokesperson told the Verge that the company is, indeed, removing posts appearing to support Rittenhouse because the company considers the shooting a "mass murder."

"We've designated this shooting as a mass murder and have removed the shooter's accounts from Facebook and Instagram," the spokesperson said.

In a later Twitter update, Dice wrote, "In no way did I 'glorify' or celebrate [Rittenhouse], nor 'praise' him. I simply posted a non-graphic video, and stated as a matter of fact what it showed. He helped a protester who was injured and didn't show up in Kenosha with any malicious intent to cause trouble."

In no way did I "glorify" or celebrate him, nor "praise" him. I simply posted a non-graphic video, and stated as… https://t.co/I5wV7JBxgd
— Mark Dice (@Mark Dice)1599012385.0

What else?

In a statement to Media Research Center, Dice said that it's more than concerning that Facebook would attempt to censor what could be considered evidence in the Rittenhouse case.

"It's horrifying that Facebook is now censoring evidence in a criminal case that helps exonerate Kyle Rittenhouse," Dice said. "The post was going viral and had been shared almost 10,000 times and debunked the mainstream media's false narrative that Kyle went to the protest to cause trouble. Quite the contrary."

Facebook bans links to fundraiser for Kyle Rittenhouse but allows legal defense funds for others — including convicted murderers, accused murderers and rioters



Facebook has banned users from sharing a crowdfunding link to assist with legal fees for 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged with homicide last week following fatal shootings that occurred during a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

But the site allows posts asking for fundraising for several other individuals who have been charged with crimes — including murder — leaving questions about what Facebook uses to determine their community standards and why Rittenhouse — who is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a legal defense team just like every other American — is apparently being singled out.

What are the details?

Rittenhouse is accused of killing two men and injuring a third on Aug. 25 during the third night of riots in the city following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man. His attorney claims the teen came under attack from rioters and that Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense.

The Washington Times reported Tuesday:

Online fundraisers were made for the teen's legal defense shortly after he was identified as the suspect, but they quickly vanished from fundraising platforms including GoFundMe.

GoFundMe said campaigns for Mr. Rittenhouse violated its terms of service but did not explain further. A campaign on rival service Fundly disappeared without explanation as well.

A fundraiser for Rittenhouse launched at Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo has raised nearly $334,000 as of this writing, but Facebook has banned the link from being shared. If any user attempts to share a link to the fundraiser, an error pops up telling the user that the link violates Facebook's community standards, but does not offer an explanation. However, other GiveSendGo fundraisers can be posted to the social media platform.

TheBlaze reached out to Facebook asking for comment, but did not receive a response for several hours.

Facebook allows links for other fundraisers

Meanwhile, Facebook still allows links to fundraisers for others who have been accused of crimes, including:

  • March Wilson, 21, who was charged with felony murder after killing a 17-year-old girl. Wilson also remains behind bars, and the GoFundMe for him claims he was acting in self-defense after being accosted by "a truckload of angry white men."
  • A GoFundMe started by far-left filmmaker Michael Moore, to support individuals prosecuted for taking part in tearing down monuments.
  • The GoFundMe for Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, who was initially charged with attempted murder of a police officer but the charges were later dropped. Walker also claims he was acting in self-defense, and his legal team is asking a "court to ensure they won't be filed again," according to CBS News.
  • The Minnesota Freedom Fund promoted on Twitter by Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.), which bails out people who were arrested during rioting. According to KMSP-TV, this fund "has bailed out defendants from Twin Cities jails charged with murder, violent felonies, and sex crimes."
  • A PDX Protest Bail Fund that has raised more than $1.3 million for rioters in Portland who admit on their GoFundMe that "as the number of reported arrests rise...the severity of the charges have increased."
  • The legal defense fund for "Tsunami," described as "an Afrolatinx transgender woman" accused of killing a man who the defendant says allegedly raped her. According to the text of the GoFundMe campaign, Tsunami was convicted by a jury, but is also claiming she acted in self-defense.

Christian crowdfunding page to benefit teen Kyle Rittenhouse explodes with donations



Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo is hosting a fundraising campaign for Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged with homicide last week following riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

At the time of this reporting, the page has received more than $270,000 in donations.

What are the details?

The fundraiser, which was purportedly set up by friends of the Rittenhouse family, aims to fund the teen's legal defense.

Authorities charged 17-year-old Rittenhouse with five criminal counts including first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide. He also faces charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and possession of a dangerous weapon.

Rittenhouse reportedly fired on three protesters during protests following Jacob Blake's police shooting on Aug. 23. Two rioters died, and one was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The page reads, "Kyle Rittenhouse just defended himself from a brutal attack by multiple members of the far-leftist group ANTIFA — the experience was undoubtedly a brutal one, as he was forced to take two lives to defend his own."

"Now, Kyle is being unfairly charged with murder 1, by a DA who seems determined only to capitalize on the political angle of the situation," the page continues. "The situation was clearly self-defense, and Kyle and his family will undoubtedly need money to pay for the legal fees."

Teen 'exercised his God-given' rights

In a recent statement, Rittenhouse's attorney said that the teen did "nothing wrong" and simply defended himself.

"He exercised his God-given, constitutional, common law and statutory law right to self-defense," the statement said.

Rittenhouse's legal team added that their client was in the area to help protect businesses amid protests, and provide first aid if necessary.

It was only when he was allegedly attacked did the teen reportedly fire on rioters, but still remained at the scene in order to provide first aid to one of the shooting victims.

He was forced to flee, however, "for his safety and his survival" when rioters converged on the scene.

The statement explains:

As Kyle proceeded towards the second mechanic's shop, he was accosted by multiple rioters who recognized that he had been attempting to protect a business the mob wanted to destroy. This outraged the rioters and created a mob now determined to hurt Kyle. They began chasing him down. Kyle attempted to get away, but he could not do so quickly enough. Upon the sound of a gunshot behind him, Kyle turned and was immediately faced with an attacker lunging towards him and reaching for his rifle. He reacted instantaneously and justifiably with his weapon to protect himself, firing and striking the attacker.

Kyle stopped to ensure care for the wounded attacker but faced a growing mob gesturing towards him. He realized he needed to flee for his safety and his survival. Another attacker struck Kyle from behind as he fled down the street. Kyle turned as the mob pressed in on him and he fell to the ground. One attacker kicked Kyle on the ground while he was on the ground. Yet another bashed him over the head with a skateboard. Several rioters tried to disarm Kyle. In fear for his life and concerned the crowd would either continue to shoot at him or even use his own weapon against him, Kyle had no choice but to fire multiple rounds towards his immediate attackers, striking two, including one armed attacker. The rest of the mob began to disperse upon hearing the additional gunshots.


Rittenhouse's legal team explained that investigators used the teen's conservative values against him in order to spin the narrative and detract from the Blake shooting.

"[T]his was not a serious investigation," the team added. "Rather, after learning Kyle may have had conservative political viewpoints, they immediately saw him as a convenient target who they could use as a scapegoat to distract from the Jacob Blake shooting and the government's abject failure to ensure basic law and order to citizens. Within 24-36 hours, he was charged with multiple homicide counts."

(H/T: Newsweek)