The verdicts in the trials involving Kyle Rittenhouse, the 2017 Charlottesville Rally, and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, have brought the judicial system’s response to vigilantism, claims of self-defense, and liability for protest-related violence into public focus. The outcomes of each trial challenge the development of a shared understanding of the scope of accountability for actors whose conduct results in foreseeable harm. That the defendants in each of these cases were white and predominantly male adds a racial and gender element to these outcomes, that politicize the verdicts in ways that further complicate their impact. For whom and when is the use of force in a self-defense claim valid? What is the responsibility of protesters and protest organizers to reduce the risk of harm? Are these cases a referendum on gun rights, white supremacy, or both? Bring your questions and your curiosity to this panel discussion, led by experts from across the University of Pittsburgh to discuss this important moment.

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