‘He’s been politically prosecuted, as were we’: The McCloskey show support for Kyle Rittenhouse

A Missouri couple who made headlines by standing on the steps of their home and pointing their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters as they passed turned up outside the Kenosha courtroom on Monday to show their support for Kyle Rittenhouse.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, like Rittenhouse, were seen by some as icons of self-defense and champions of the Second Amendment. Others saw them as exemplifying all that was wrong with America and guns. 

‘We are just here to show our support for Kyle Rittenhouse,’ Mark McCloskey told DailyMail.com.

‘For the concept of self-defense. For our God-given rights under the Second Amendment to defend ourselves when necessary.

‘And to hope that the jury acquits on all counts.’ 

Mark and Patricia McCloskey were outside the Kenosha courthouse on Monday, ahead of the jury retiring to consider their verdict. They said they wanted to show their support for Rittenhouse

Mark and Patricia McCloskey are seen looking at the signs held by protesters demanding Rittenhouse be found guilty

Mark and Patricia McCloskey are seen looking at the signs held by protesters demanding Rittenhouse be found guilty

Protesters waved placards as McCloskey addressed the media in Kenosha on Monday

Protesters waved placards as McCloskey addressed the media in Kenosha on Monday

Demonstrators held aloft their posters as McCloskey spoke on Monday

Demonstrators held aloft their posters as McCloskey spoke on Monday

The McCloskeys were followed by demonstrators calling for Rittenhouse's conviction when they appeared outside the courthouse

The McCloskeys were followed by demonstrators calling for Rittenhouse’s conviction when they appeared outside the courthouse

Kyle Rittenhouse is seen on Monday in court during a break in his trial for murder

Kyle Rittenhouse is seen on Monday in court during a break in his trial for murder

The pair made national headlines when, on June 28, 2020, they brandished their guns at BLM demonstrators, marching past their St Louis house on the way to a rally outside the home of the mayor of St Louis, Lyda Krewson, several blocks away.

President Donald Trump retweeted video of the confrontation and later commented that the McCloskeys were going to be ‘beat up badly, if they were lucky.’

But in July 2020, city police searched and seized both of the guns from the couple. 

About a month later, St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged both with ‘unlawful use of a weapon’, which is a felony. The complaint said that both had displayed their semi-automatic weapons ‘readily capable of lethal use, in an angry or threatening manner’. 

In June this year they each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge – her for harassment, him for fourth-degree assault – and agreed to pay a total of nearly $3,000 in fines. The couple, both lawyers, also agreed to give up the guns they had brandished in the confrontation.

A little over a month later, they were pardoned by the Republican governor, Mike Parson.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey are seen confronting protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house on June 28

Mark and Patricia McCloskey are seen confronting protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s house on June 28

Patricia McCloskey and her husband Mark McCloskey drew their firearms on protestors, including a man who held a video camera and microphone

Patricia McCloskey and her husband Mark McCloskey drew their firearms on protestors, including a man who held a video camera and microphone

The McCloskeys became the target of national media attention in the summer after they emerged from their $1.15 million mansion, in Portland Place, with guns on the night of June 28 when a procession of protesters veered onto their private street

The McCloskeys became the target of national media attention in the summer after they emerged from their $1.15 million mansion, in Portland Place, with guns on the night of June 28 when a procession of protesters veered onto their private street

Protesters gathered outside the home of Mark and Patricia McCloskey during a protest against racial inequality in St Louis, Missouri

Protesters gathered outside the home of Mark and Patricia McCloskey during a protest against racial inequality in St Louis, Missouri

Asked what parallels they felt their case had with Rittenhouse’s, Mark McCloskey told DailyMail.com: ‘When the government advocates it’s wrong for protecting honest citizens from criminals, when the government orders the police to stand down from protecting honest citizens, then honest citizens have to defend themselves.

‘That’s what Kyle did; that’s what we did.

‘That’s what any God-fearing American should do. If the government won’t protect them, if the government protects criminals above law-abiding citizens, then law-abiding citizens need to protect themselves against criminals.’

Mark McCloskey said that the trial was ‘all about’ whether Rittenhouse was right to be there.

‘That’s why we have juries,’ he said, noting that they had heard all the evidence but most people had not.

‘We should all respect the jury’s verdict.’

Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, is seen in court on Monday. On Tuesday the jury will retire to deliberate and try and reach agreement on the verdict

Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, is seen in court on Monday. On Tuesday the jury will retire to deliberate and try and reach agreement on the verdict

Biden shared a video clip on Twitter denouncing white supremacists that including a photo of Rittenhouse wielding a gun

Biden shared a video clip on Twitter denouncing white supremacists that including a photo of Rittenhouse wielding a gun 

Rittenhouse, seen lying on his back on the ground, shot and killed Kenosha protesters

Rittenhouse, seen lying on his back on the ground, shot and killed Kenosha protesters

He said it was wrong that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had commented on the case without hearing all the evidence.

Kyle Rittenhouse was fascinated by guns and loved the police

Kyle Rittenhouse was fascinated by guns and loved the police

Biden in November 2020 featured Rittenhouse in a campaign video, and tweeted that he was a white supremacist.

McCloskey later told Fox News: ‘We feel for Rittenhouse. We feel he acted in self-defense.

‘We think he’s been politically prosecuted, as were we, and we’re hoping that the jury find him not guilty on all counts and that he can go home a free man.’

He added: ‘Rittenhouse is a young man.

‘He was doing the best he could to help his country and to save businesses up here in Kenosha, and as his reward, he’s having the rest of his life threatened.’

On Tuesday deliberations will begin in the case that has stirred fierce debate in the U.S. over guns, vigilantism and law and order. 

The jury has not been sequestered.  

Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other counts for killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz on August 25, 2020. 

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk