Rittenhouse trial highlights rise of livestreamed video

By STEPHEN GROVES
Associated Press

People streaming live video have become ubiquitous at protests, seeking to provide an unedited view into the most violent clashes. A number of people caught video snippets of Kyle Rittenhouse, a tumultuous demonstration against police brutality and the 17-year-old aspiring police officer firing an assault-style rifle during a chaotic night in the summer of 2020. But even with plentiful video footage from the scene of the shooting, Rittenhouse’s case has been cast into a cultural wedge that has been used by powerful interest groups, extremists, politicians and others to push their own agendas. Experts say it shows both the appeal of livestreamed video and its limits.