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HEB Backlash After Rittenhouse Event Canceled

Rittenhouse
Kyle Rittenhouse | Image by Getty Images

Organizers for a Kyle Rittenhouse speaking event claim that the grocery chain H-E-B pressured the venue to cancel it, as reported by NewsBreak Original.

The 20-year-old was set to speak on January 26 at a “Rally Against Censorship” event at the Southern Star Brewery north of Houston.

The “Rally Against Censorship” was organized by Defiant Press and Publishing and included other speakers such as investigative reporter Cassandra Spencer, attorney Paul Davis, and former Navy Seal Justin Sheffield.

“Up until now, Southern Star Brewery had agreed to host this event with full knowledge that Kyle Rittenhouse would be invited and had no problem whatsoever,” said David Roberts, a Defiant Press and Publishing spokesperson. “It was not until H-E-B threatened to end their business with them that they decided to pull our event. Clearly, money talks and values walk for Southern Star.”

The Texas-based supermarket H-E-B and its CEO Charles Butt have been criticized for involvement in electoral politics and contentious political issues. Butt has drawn attention for his substantial contributions to Democrat and liberal Republican politicians, as well as his lobbying for significant expansions of mail-in voting on official H-E-B letterhead, leaving some customers feeling less welcome.

Mabrie Jackson, senior director of public affairs for the H-E-B central market division, denied to The Dallas Express that the company had anything to do with Southern Star Brewery’s cancellation of the event.

Rittenhouse made national headlines in the summer of 2020 when he fatally shot two people and injured another amid rioting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. On August 25, Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, traveled from his nearby hometown of Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha, where his father lived. Rittenhouse brought a rifle with him, saying he wanted to help protect local businesses from looting, arson, and other threats.

Later that night, Rittenhouse shot Joseph Rosenbaum, who had been released from psychiatric care earlier that day, when the latter reached for his gun. In the chaos that ensued, Rittenhouse shot Anthony Huber, who attempted to hit him with a skateboard after Rittenhouse fell to the ground, and Gaige Grosskreutz, who drew a pistol and pointed it at Rittenhouse. Rosenbaum and Huber both died at the scene, while Grosskreutz survived with a gunshot wound to the arm.

At the end of a highly publicized trial, a jury found that Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense and acquitted him on all counts in November 2021.

Southern Star Brewery announced on January 13 that it would not be providing a venue for the Rally Against Censorship. The brewery’s proprietors explained in a tweet that the event did not “reflect [their] own values,” but denied that H-E-B had anything to do with the cancellation.

“We could not in good faith continue to rent our space for the event on 1/26. We don’t do rallies, we make beer for people who like beer,” the statement read.

Rittenhouse criticized the cancellation in a tweet, saying, “It’s really disappointing to see that places continue to censor me and not allow my voice and many other voices to be heard because they bend to the woke crowd. I’ll keep you guys updated on the event on the 26th that I was supposed to speak at.”

After his acquittal, Rittenhouse gained a following as an advocate against censorship, garnering nearly a million followers on Twitter.

Defiant Press and Publishing, which helped to organize the event, is a curator of conservative books. Some of the works it has published include a biography of former Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and books in support of Texas seceding from the United States.

According to the Defiant Press and Publishing website, the event took place at a different location.

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69 Comments

  1. Djea3

    If I am ever around I will just drive on by the Southern Star Brewery and HEB.

    What I want to know is when will we end for profit fictitious persons being allowed to donate any money to any political activity including political non-profits? It seems to me that is the larger issue. ONLY REAL PEOPLE should be allowed to contribute to political campaigns.

    Reply
    • KEDallas

      That and make it illegal to pressure other businesses to limit their free speech by threatening their business relationship will end. Shame on HEB. I’m done with HEB/Central Market.

      Reply
      • Bill Fox

        So you want to make it illegal for a private business to not be able to cancel a contract?

        I think you people don’t know what free speech is. You have the right to say what you want, but there can be consequences. I’m this case, a bigger company threatened to exercise what is likely a standards of conduct clause. It’s business. It’s the American way.

        Reply
      • Frank Hayes

        So what? If anyone disagrees with another person they have the opportunity to walk away, the brewery was brining n someone the store disagrees with so they pulled out. Why not?
        some stores in Tennessee added ‘no guns’ to the ‘no shirt, no shoes no service’ because adults were frightened by young people walking through the store with a rifle. Banks have no gun policies, so do the airlines. Are you going to boycott them??!!

        Reply
    • Marc Kivel

      While we may disagree on many things, I fully agree that only legitimate voters should be allowed to donate to election related campaigns. Thanks for saying it so well!

      Reply
  2. David

    We enjoy HEB stores and have been in many throughout Texas. However, those supporting limits to our freedom and fraudulent voting have no place in our country. We won’t be shopping there anymore and others who value freedom shouldn’t either. Unfortunately most won’t until it’s too late.

    Reply
    • scott

      Is there ANY proof HEB cancelled this event?

      Reply
      • LeAnn

        Perhaps no proof yet in this specific case, but as the article pointed this out, I do not want to support them: ” Butt has drawn attention for his substantial contributions to Democrat and liberal Republican politicians, as well as his lobbying for significant expansions of mail-in voting on official H-E-B letterhead”

        Reply
    • Cheryl

      They’ll do fine without you. Bye, Felicia.

      Reply
    • Janet

      At least you have the “freedom to choose”! Does that mean you are “Pro-Choice”, and support the “right to vote” for all?

      Reply
  3. VoiceofSanity

    This is very disappointing of H-E-B’s leadership. Anyone watching the video evidence of Kyle’s trial, and the jury itself, concluded it’s clearly self-defense. H-E-B should stick to selling groceries instead of being verdict deniers.

    Reply
    • Candy

      Absolutely because if I done what he did yes prison I would be hegot away with murder I’m with you on this!

      Reply
    • Brenda

      Sanity- I regret that the only way to freedom of censorship. I watched and listened but did not come to the same conclusion. There was so many contradictory statements. But that is over so let’s go from here. My freedom ends where yours begins. H‑E‑B did nothing wrong except Stan for their freedom to donate and the possibly retraction. You are speaking of freedom and censorship in the same sentence?

      Reply
      • VoiceofSanity

        I invite you to watch the video evidence and breakdown of Kyle’s actions that night (available on YouTube). I study similar lethal defense videos (daily, much to my wife’s displeasure) and it clearly shows self-defense. H-E-B has every right to host or cancel any event. I just find it disappointing they originally agreed to host an event and then cave to pressure from verdict and evidence deniers.

        Reply
  4. CJofTX

    These companies that are public, so others than themselves go there…should not be political, this always makes me angry. In one way its good though as I know who NOT to give my business to. There are plenty of breweries and grocery stores that don’t get into politics and instead choose to treat EVERYONE fairly, that’s where my money will go.

    Reply
    • scott

      Most businesses give to Republicans. That probably doesn’t bother you in the least and that is fine. Just don’t pretend that you are taking a stand against businesses in politics. Further, is there ANY evidence that HEB was behind this cancellation? I haven’t seen it. Both HEB and the Brewery said it didn’t happen – so you are reacting to crappy journalism with a boycott. You are the problem.

      Reply
      • Bill Fox

        Exactly, CJ. No one cries when Rupert Murdoch of the owner of Home Depot back GOP candidates, primarily because Fox doesn’t report on that. Lol. You idiots need to do some research. The people in here are by far some of the dumbest on the planet.

        Reply
    • Bill Fox

      Hobby Lobby doesn’t have to offer birth control as part of their health benefits. Be careful what you wish for. It can go both ways.

      Reply
  5. Bill Fox

    I love how you all cry about liberals causing crime rates to go up, but now are sympathetic to this punk. At the age of 17, Rittenhouse illegally carried a gun, that he did not own, across state lines and shot some people. He is a felon and should have been convicted on the gun charges.

    No one stopped the kid from speaking, the event space cancelled. He could have spoke elsewhere.

    Reply
    • Kevin

      actually, republicans cause the crime rate to go up, cartels and criminals alike love the loose gun laws, just check out the increase of gun violence on their watch and with their laws.

      Reply
      • Joel

        Who’s not controlling the borders?

        Reply
        • Bill Fox

          No one has. The war on drugs has failed for decades under all presidents. Stop the market and the drugs will stop flowing. You people probably like meth, so a closed border is not what you want. Lol

          Reply
      • Bob

        Check out where the crime resides idiot. It’s in blue cities. Check your facts

        Reply
    • Bill

      This so called punk has every right You do. The Cowards that attacked him got Exactly what they deserved, and more. He has every Constitutional right you do and was found innocent, by his peers in a court of law. The fact that people ignore that everyone has the right to due process is totally embarrassing!

      Reply
      • Bill Fox

        He was found innocent of murder. I agree.

        He committed a felony by carrying a gun that was not registered to him because he is a minor across state lines. He is a criminal because he committed a crime. Get that through your thick skull.

        The right to free speech does not mean that every event space has to allow everyone to speak. The fact that you fail to understand the definition of free speech and how it works is embarrassing.

        You are truly uneducated, as uneducated as the idiot you want to go hear speak.

        Reply
    • Gary T

      How is it possible to post a kind response to such an idiot? I suppose you prefer the 17 year old kids that are trying to decide what gender they want to be this week. This country needs more kids like Kyle to help keep this world in tact. If you watched the trial and saw the evidence you would clearly know the kid had a gun pointed at him first. The punks are the kids that were burning and looting Kenosha.

      Reply
    • Joel

      He was found innocent!

      Reply
      • Bill Fox

        Of murder. He was not tried on any felony weapons charges. They went after the big charge and lost, but as soon as carried that gun that was not his as a minor, he committed a felony. Idiot.

        Reply
        • Bob

          Try and take my guns away. Ain’t happening

          Reply
      • Janet

        So was OJ Simpson.

        Reply
    • Jimmy Arnett

      He did NOT carry a gun across state lines. The gun was at a friend’s house in Kenosha. His father and grandparents lived in Kenosha. He worked in Kenosha. He shot people who attempted to murder him. He is NOT a felon.

      Reply
      • OzCop

        It’s difficult to find any degree of intelligence of those defending liberal ideology and the results that continue to destroy our country and our way of justice. Not to mention the woke ideology seeking to destroy us even further.

        Reply
      • Bill Fox

        Correction. His friend bought him the gun. Rittenhouse still committed a felony.If this was some kid of another color, you bigots would be all up in arms.

        His friend took a plea deal to avoid felony charges. Hahaha!

        See? Felonies.

        Reply
    • OzCop

      Our justice system acquitted him…found not guiilty of ANY crime…Cry me a river.

      Reply
      • Bill Fox

        Not crying. He was not charged of the lessor crimes he did commit. They only charged him with murder because they thought it was a slam dunk. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t commit a crime.

        That moron had no business being in another state with a gun that wasn’t his.

        And where are his parents in all this. Go fight crime junior! Hahaha!

        Reply
    • Janet

      They said “all we do is sell beer to people who like beer”. Maybe they should have invited Bret Kavanaugh to speak!

      Reply
    • Arnoldz

      He did speak elsewhere. Read the article. But poor reporting by not disclosing the location. Few who wanted to attend were (probably) unable to attend because there was weakness by the brewery, and wherever he ended up speaking was (most likely) thrown together quickly. I do apologize for my simple conjecture. But according to the article, he was able to speak. As for the gun charges, the state decided not to pursue these charges. A crime is a crime. I won’t argue that. We must make sense of everything. He should not get a pass on the illegality of crossing state lines with a gun unless it is lawfully registered, and the states involved have reciprocating agreements. Hunting is huge in Wisconsin. I’ll leave it up to you to look for the states who have reciprocating laws where a gun is registered legally.

      Reply
  6. Bill

    This was in Conroe which IS NOT Houston. Far from it. Move this to the North Dallas area.I’d be willing to promote this. Corps have the money and they have always had a lot of Control. We are a country of One man and One vote. The Good Old Boy GOP is FINISHED. The GOP wont get the Trump voters if they continue their Garbage as usual policies. PERIOD! Again, move this to North Dallas where HEB doesn’t hold the purse strings!

    Reply
  7. scott

    I keep rereading this story and I find no evidence that HEB cancelled this event besides the unsubstantiated claim of Defiant Press. This weighed against denials from HEB and the Brewery. This isn’t journalism.

    Reply
    • John

      Correct… this isn’t journalism… just another rag trying to stir up their radical right-wing base to build up viewers and advertisers… as the article states, “money talks, values walk”

      Reply
  8. Bret

    Sounds like H E B censored a rally against censorship. Sounds like I will not enter HEBs doors

    Reply
    • Bill Fox

      That’s not censorship. They threatened to exercise a clause in their contract should Southern Star go ahead with the event. The American way! It’s business.

      Reply
      • Bob

        Everyone let’s boycott heb manynothers to choose from

        Reply
  9. A Hobbs

    I am finished with H.E.B. If their CEO supports Democrats and mail-in voting,then he is anti- Texas values. I will not shop there.

    Reply
    • Janet

      Or mail in your vote? Doesn’t matter, you won’t accept the results anyway.

      Reply
  10. John Gault

    Rittenhouse was found not guilty by a jury of his peers and that’s good enough for me. Had I been in his situation I would have done the same thing. The violent protesters that were looting and burning businesses got what they deserved. Had the politicians let the police do their job maybe Rittenhouse would not have to have done it for them.
    As for HEB getting my business, that remains to be scene but you can bet on the fact that I will be watching them closely. Their expanding like crazy and that doesn’t happen in a political vacuum.
    Rittenhouse did end up speaking elsewhere so the problem worked itself out.
    But as far as businesses being Republican based, maybe 20 years ago that was true, certainly not now. Just look at Google, Apple, Ford, GM, all woke. And things are so much better for it being so aren’t they?

    Reply
    • Bill Fox

      Home Depot
      Fox News
      Bass Pro

      I can keep going. There are plenty of billionaires giving to the GOP. Google it.

      Reply
    • Janet

      If Rittenhouse is such a defender of freedom, why doesn’t he join the military, the police force, or Custom Border Patrol instead of profiting from social media and speaking engagements. The Capitol Police could have used his “skills” on January 6.

      Reply
  11. Bret

    If. Cnn wrote this article you liberals would kneel to the articles proof and defend it until Biden stopped lying. Cartels don’t care about gun laws idiot and rittenhouse was cleared of all charges. Let me repeat, he was innocent of all charges. And republicans only recently started receiving more money than democrats. You know why. Let’s see. 70 genders, trans and lgbtq (whatever) ideologies being forced down our throats, killing babies up to day of delivery, taking away right’s clearly written in the constitution, high inflation, high gas prices, American families paying $7100 more to live in 2022, $31TRILLION debt, increased crime in democrat run cities. Interest rates doubled since Biden election, massive layoffs at your liberal companies, Facebook and Amazon, the economy is in a free fall and every economist is saying recession this year even though last year we were in a recession. I’m tired here

    Reply
    • Bill Fox

      Crime is higher across the country. Everywhere. When did we start to see the uptick? When that orange clown was still in office. When did the economy start to tank? When that Cheeto was in charge. Do some research.

      Reply
      • Bob

        I think this knucklehead is a democrat bot

        Reply
  12. Michael

    I could careless where that MURDERER speaks, if you believe he went to Wisconsin to protect businesses, then you ARE a FOOL, black people know he went up there with the intention of shooting black people, as he stated in a recording of him months before the MURDERS,and there are statements of him saying he is an EMT, and pointing his gun at a group of black people.

    Reply
    • OzCop

      The fool is you, as is your foolish statement…

      Reply
  13. Keepin it real!

    OMG! Why should Kyle Rittenhouse be seen ANYWHERE actually speaking??? This guy is a moron. An armed moron. His 15 minutes of fame should’ve ended long ago, if not for people similar to the people commenting on this story. Sorry, but HEB is entitled to 1st Amendment protection just as much as Mr. Rittenhouse.

    Reply
    • OzCop

      Keepin in real…you wouldn’t recognize REAL if it smashed you in the face. Get real…

      Reply
    • Bill Fox

      He is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but either are the people that read and believe this nonsense. Serious lack of education.

      Reply
      • Bob

        Are you referring to yourself?

        Reply
      • Neutralwise

        Speaking of education, it’s neither, not either.

        Reply
    • Janet

      Correct. Conservative Republicans think 1st and 2nd Amendments rights are reserved for THEM!

      Reply
  14. Sandra

    Shame on HEB. Will not shop there. That door swings both ways.

    Reply
  15. Jeanine

    Tsk, tsk, tsk, HEB. You can’t be doing that in Texas.

    Reply
  16. CITIZEN

    Looks like heb WILL NOT be getting my business in their stores coming here to Plano, Frisco or any close by store. You get political, I get out ofd your store.

    Reply
  17. Steve

    these leftists aren’t qualified to wipe Kyle’s Butt

    Reply
  18. Ogre

    Woke Snowflakes. I will be boycotting HEb and any of these communist morons and their leftist nausea.

    Reply
  19. GernBlanston

    I was happy to see North Texas getting HEB stores here. After reading this I won’t give them my business when they come to my town. Go woke, go broke.

    Reply
  20. Dobbie

    Hurrah for HEB! I really like the new one at Preston & Spring Creek too; that 20 yr. old was guilty of murder I say, lucky he’s not in prison for life too…

    Reply
  21. Brenda

    I am sorry for the out come against H‑E‑B. I found it hard to think that 2 murders was a expression of people against censorship. Look again at the perpetrator . I am a American Trump supporter but do not believe the face of this perpetrator. Let freedom ring and people speak up against censorship but not a murder. This is my opinion only and long live companies and people that can look a case and not be hornswoogled

    Reply
  22. Tim

    Time to start boycotting both H-E-B and Southern Star Brewery.

    Reply
  23. AmmaD

    Kudos to the grocery chain who doesn’t support giving murderers a platform to speak of his love of murder weapons. I would rather be woke and alert to this dangerous society than asleep and complacent to the hate and murderous mentality around the decent, God loving, thou shall love thy neighbor, thou shall not judge, thou shall not kill, citizens in the United States of America. Wake up and follow the word of God.

    Reply

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