#ACLU calls for Kenosha police brass to resign in wake of fatal shootings

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Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis (left) and County Sheriff David Beth (center) look on as Mayor John Antaramian (right) speaks during a news conference in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

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The American Civil Liberties Union is calling for “the immediate resignation” of Kenosha, Wisconsin’s sheriff and police chief in the wake of the fatal shooting of two protesters by an armed teenager, according to a report.

In a statement Thursday, the state and national ACLU singled out Kenosha Sheriff Daniel Beth for “not only fraternizing with white supremacist counter-protestors on Tuesday but allowed the shooter to leave as people yelled that he was the shooter,” WITI-TV reported.

Viral video from the tumultuous night allegedly shows Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, shooting three protestors, killing two, before walking up to a convoy of police vehicles with his hands raised on Tuesday night — only to flee across state lines after cops ignore him.

Police were also seen thanking the armed vigilantes and giving them water prior to the shooting — even though they were civilians out after curfew.

Rittenhouse, who is from Illinois, was among a group of armed militia groups that took to the streets to protect businesses from arson and looting amid violent protests in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday.

“The ACLU strongly condemns Sheriff Beth and Police Chief (Daniel) Miskinis’ response to both the attempted murder of Jacob Blake and the protests demanding justice for him,” the statement said. “Their actions uphold and defend white supremacy while demonizing people who were murdered for exercising their first amendment rights and speaking out against police violence.”

If Beth and Mikinis “refuse to immediately tender their resignation,” they want the mayor to demand the chief’s removal and Gov. Tony Evers to remove the sheriff, the statement said.

At a news conference Thursday, Beth seemed to downplay the fatal Tuesday night encounter that led to intentional homicide charges against Rittenhouse.

“Last night was very peaceful,” the sheriff said of the city on Wednesday night. “Tuesday night, not quite so peaceful but it wasn’t too bad. Monday was our big night.”

“Hopefully we’re over that hump of what we have to face,” Beth added. “We know that there are still people out there, instigators that are trying to cause trouble and fire things up. Got it. We’ve had those before.”

Beth, Mikinis and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian all said that, despite some weapons arrests, the city of 100,000 was relatively quiet Wednesday.

However, photos obtained by The Post show that armed civilian groups were out in the city again on Wednesday night — 24 hours after the fatal shootings.

The vigilantes said they were all local Kenosha residents and business owners who sought to protect the community.