Kenosha Protesters Sue Facebook Following Deadly Violence

KENOSHA, WI – A group of people is suing Facebook for its alleged role in the deadly violence that erupted during a Black Lives Matter protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha in late August.

The complaint alleges Facebook was negligent when it did not remove the Kenosha Guard home and event pages, even though the tech company had received more than 400 reports of violent rhetoric that was taking place on the pages.

"The enabling and empowering of militias to conspire with its platform and tools allows white supremacist groups to recruit, organize and thrive, while Facebook continues to profit from their activities, and those who fight for social justice continue to die," the plaintiffs wrote in the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are calling for an injunction preventing Facebook from violating its own policies designed to prevent violent rhetoric, militia groups and racially-motivated hate groups from gathering on its platform.

"This shirking of responsibility is not the first time Facebook's failure to act has resulted in real-world injuries – the page for the 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville was left live for several weeks, resulting in teh murder of peaceful protestor Heather Heyer – and it is time for the company to face actual consequences for its (in)action," the plaintiffs write in the complaint.

“We removed the shooter’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and took action against organizations and content related to Kenosha," a Facebook company spokesperson said when reached for comment. "We have found no evidence that suggests the shooter followed the Kenosha Guard Page or that he was invited to the Event Page they organized."

Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted homicide after he was seen armed with an AR-15 rifle on social media posts. The arrest came after two people were killed and a third person was wounded in shootings during violent protests that followed the shooting of Blake.

Blake, 29, was shot several times by Kenosha police in late August during the course of a domestic dispute on the city's north side.

A witness to the shooting recorded the incident on video. In that video, police are seen following Blake around his SUV, grabbing him by the shirt, and opening fire on him several times as he enters his car while his children were apparently seated inside.

The civil complaint contains five counts, including negligence, civil conspiracy and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The plaintiffs are Hannah Gittings, Christopher McNeal, Nathan Peet and Carmen Palmer.

Gittings' partner, Anthony Huber, was shot and killed while trying to disarm Rittenhouse, according to the lawsuit and the criminal complaint. The suit claims that in addition to watching her partner die, Gittings "suffered threats, insults, harassment and intimidation from the Kenosha Guard and Boogaloo Bois."

McNeal is a Black man who has lived in Kenosha for almost 22 years who, according to the complaint, was assaulted and harassed by armed white men. McNeal claims he sought help from Kenosha police but was unable to distinguish between the police and the militias.

Palmer, a 40-year-old Black woman who has lived in Milwaukee her whole life, said in the complaint she traveled to Kenosha with her children to protest and suffered "extensive harm" after she was pepper sprayed and threatened with rifles.

"It was the scariest experience of my life," Palmer said in the complaint. "And I have seen a lot. I had to keep it together for my children, but when I got home, I had a panic attack."

Peet witnessed the death of one of the shooting victims and attempted to take him to a nearby hospital, but was unable to do so due to the militia's corralling tactics, according to the complaint.

One of the defendants, Kevin Matthewson, operated the Kenosha Guard Facebook page and issued the "call to arms" that was sent across the country, the complaint alleges. The plaintiffs allege Matthewson directed the militia to control access and egress to Civic Center Park and to show force by carrying firearms.

The plaintiffs are also suing the Kenosha Guard as a whole, for the "call to arms" issued on Aug. 24 as well as military tactics taken against the plaintiffs and protesters.

Defendant Ryan Balch, a member of the Boogaloo Bois, is accused of taking command of a group that included Kyle Rittenhouse on Aug. 25. According to the complaint, the group was responsible for threatening the plaintiffs and protesters.

The plaintiffs are also suing the Boogaloo Bois, a right wing militia also known as the Bojahideen. The complaint alleges the Boogaloo Bois collaborated with the Kenosha Guard to assault protesters on Aug. 25.

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