Three people were shot by 18-year-old Mr Rittenhouse during a protest against the police shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake. Mr Blake was shot seven times in the back by officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020. Two of those who were shot by Mr Rittenhouse died and a third was injured.

       However, this week jurors believed that Mr Rittenhouse was acting in self-defence.

       The jury in a US court in Wisconsin found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty.

       Mr Biden said he, like "many Americans", was "angry and concerned" at the verdict but appealed for calm after protests erupted across major US cities.

       However, Mr Biden is now under fire for linking Mr Rittenhouse to "white supremacist and militia groups" in a campaign video that was broadcast last year.

       READ MORE: Macron's EU army dreams come true: Bloc plans to deploy 5000 troops

       The video shows an image of Mr Rittenhouse holding his AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle during the protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August 2020.

       The video is then intercut with imagery of white nationalists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia.

       Following Mr Rittenhouse's acquittal, Tom Cotton, a Republican senator for Arkansas, said Mr Biden had "slandered" the teenager.

       He said: "If he had any decency, Biden would apologise publicly, not attack the jury for following the law."

       DON'T MISS:

       Covid LIVE: 'Take this seriously!' Whitty unveils terrifying chart [LIVE]

       Brexit fury: EU can 'disrupt UK trade' with more red tape [REPORT]

       Royal POLL: Should Prince Charles take on more as Queen recovers? [POLL]

       Mr Rittenhouse's mother, Wendy, has also angrily accused Mr Biden of defaming her son.

       She said: “He is not a white supremacist.

       "He is not a racist.

       “President Biden doesn't know my son, whatsoever”.

       Mr Rittenhouse claimed that he attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Wisconsin to defend the police and property against rioters.

       He was 17-years-old at the time and was armed with an assault rifle.

       The court ruling sparked protests in cities across the country, from New York to Portland, Oregon.

       Portland police declared a riot after protesters smashed windows and doors of city facilities and hurled objects at police.

       The city's police chief said officers were preparing plans for the rest of the weekend.