Kenosha Park Considers Honoring Man Shot By Rittenhouse
Bo Banks
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For some reason, the Kenosha Parks Commission in Kenosha, Wisconsin, wants to place a memorial tree and plaque in a city park for Anthony Huber, one of the men Kyle Rittenhouse shot back in 2020.
Videos showed Huber chasing Rittenhouse with a skateboard, attempting to cause harm before he was killed by Rittenhouse in self-defense.
This city park proposal, which was brought forth by members of the public, was met with opposition from some who said it would be inappropriate to honor a man killed while trying to incite violence.
The five-person commission did not take any action on the proposal Monday but said it would discuss it again at its next meeting.
In the meantime, members of the public have been encouraged to submit their feedback on the proposal through an online survey.
Hannah Gittings, who is Huber’s girlfriend, said she was surprised by the proposal but ultimately thought it would be a “nice gesture.”
“I think it would be good for people to have a place to go and reflect on what happened,” Gittings said. “And I think it would also be good for some healing in the community.”
This proposal began to gain attention when Kevin Mathewson, a member of the parks commission, shared a post on Facebook about it.
“I am proud to say that I am part of a group that is seriously considering this proposal,” Mathewson wrote. “It would be located in one of our beautiful city parks.”
Mathewson said he believes the memorial would help Huber’s family heal and also encourage others to stand up against violence.
“I think it is important for us as a community to remember what happened and to honor those who lost their lives,” Mathewson said. “This memorial would be a way for us to do that.”
During an exchange, Mathewson accused the aldermen of violating Wisconsin’s open meetings laws against a “walking quorum.”
In other words, Mathewson believes they are meeting and discussing this proposal without giving the public proper notice or an opportunity to weigh in.
Alderman John Ruffalo, one of the commissioners who voted against the proposal, said he was not comfortable with how it was brought forward and that there needs to be more public input.
“I think we need to have a conversation about this as a community before we make any decisions,” Ruffalo said. “I’m not comfortable with where we’re at right now.”
The commission is expected to discuss the proposal again at its next meeting on March 15.
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