Madison, WI: 100 people rally at Senator Tammy Baldwin’s house in support of Palestine
Madison, WI – On Monday, November 6, a group of 100 people gathered at the intersection of South Butler and King Streets in Madison to demand that U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin vote against U.S. aid for Israel’s brutal attack on Gaza, stop taking money from pro-Israel lobbyists, and end U.S. financial support for the military detention of Palestinian children.
Despite supposedly being a “progressive” politician and previously promising that she would “strengthen the essential pillars of economic security for working families,” Baldwin has called for additional funding to be provided to Israel, which is currently committing a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed over the last month, as Israel bombs mosques, hospitals, schools and refugee camps ruthlessly and shuts off their access to the world.
Additionally, Baldwin has received $422,990 in lobbying funds by pro-Israeli organizations – more than even Ron Johnson, the Republican U.S. senator from Wisconsin. As Baldwin rakes in money for her support for Israel, working-class families in Wisconsin are seeing none of the economic security that she initially promised.
The rally was organized by the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee (MAC) in collaboration with Jewish Voice for Peace Milwaukee (JVP-Milwaukee), Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Students for Justice in Palestine at UW Madison, Students for a Democratic Society at UW Milwaukee (SDS-UWM), and Project ReCo.
Protesters gathered at the small park on the corner of the intersection. After hearing a few speeches from participating organizations at the park, the crowd walked a short distance to Baldwin’s condominium, carrying signs with messages such as “Shame on you Baldwin!” and “Baldwin has blood on her hands!”, and chanting, “Baldwin, Baldwin, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” Once at her condominium, they stopped to chant again and hear more speeches. At multiple points, residents of the condo and neighboring apartments stepped outside to see what was going on below.
The crowd was loud and united in their condemnation of Tammy Baldwin’s support for Israel, and the speakers re-iterated Baldwin’s utter hypocrisy.
“While Senator Tammy Baldwin sleeps in comfort, the people of Gaza have had more than 25,000 tons of explosions dropped on them. As a Jew, I decry Senator Baldwin for weaponizing Jewish grief to dehumanize Palestinians,” said Jodi Melamed of JVP-Milwaukee.
“A student at UW-Milwaukee lost 50 members of their family in the bombing of a residential building. 50 members. How can government officials like Tammy Baldwin sit idly by and even support the crimes against humanity Israel is committing?” asked Patricia Fish of SDS-UWM. “How can you, Tammy Baldwin, accept over $400,000 of pro-Israel lobbying money when one Palestinian child is murdered every 15 minutes by Israel?”
Across the country, residents of the U.S. are standing up to elected officials over their support for the genocidal regime of Israel.
“We demand Tammy Baldwin stops being so cowardly, and for her to stand up to the Biden administration on behalf of her constituents. And if she doesn’t she can expect to see us again real soon,” said Sam Charnon from MAC.
The people of Madison and Milwaukee are clear in their demands. They will keep showing up so long as their tax dollars are used to fund genocide, and until Palestine is free.