Police Investigating Reports That Car Struck Protesters

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — Manchester police are investigating reports that several protesters were struck by a small SUV during a demonstration over the not guilty verdicts in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Wisconsin.

About 15 to 20 people with groups including PowerUP CT, the Self-Defense Brigade and Black Lives Matter 860 were blocking a section of Main Street late Saturday afternoon when the SUV drove up to them and slowed down. But the driver kept going at a slow rate of speed, struck about a half-dozen people and drove away from the scene, protesters said.

Keren Prescott, founder and chief executive of PowerUP CT, said several protesters are recovering from injuries that are not life-threatening. She said the SUV was a black Honda CRV with Massachusetts plates.

Police Lt. Ryan Shea told the Journal Inquirer the incident is under investigation, but he did not provide further details.

Some of the protesters were armed and showed restraint by not using their weapons, demonstrators said.

Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after testifying he acted in self-defense in the killings of two people and the wounding of a third during an August 2020 protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, days after a white police officer shot a Black man.