Milwaukee, WI – In the early evening of August 20, around 500 people gathered in Dontre Hamilton (officially Red Arrow) Park in downtown Milwaukee to mark the final day of the Democratic National Convention. The turnout in spite of the pandemic and the vastly diminished physical presence in the city for the convention was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the organizers with the Coalition to March on the DNC.

“No matter who anybody votes for, no matter who wins, we’re always going to be out in the streets. We’re always going to be fighting for justice,” said Omar Flores, an organizer with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression and a leader in the Coalition.

The event represented something of an historic moment for Milwaukee and for the state of Wisconsin. As people everywhere have risen up against police crimes, families from all across the state victimized by police convened in Milwaukee at the demonstration.

The families of Alvin Cole, Joel Acevedo, Jay Anderson, Jonathan Tubby, Dexter Baxter and Isaiah Tucker all came together at the park where Dontre Hamilton was murdered in April 2014. Maria Hamilton, Dontre’s mother and a mother of the movement in Milwaukee, was present to open the evening’s speeches. A statement was also read on behalf of the family of Jason Pero.

This marked the first time in recent memory that families from multiple cities in Wisconsin and representing multiple nationalities united in one place for one purpose. They came to share their stories of losing their loved ones to racist killer cops, and to join their voices with the Coalition in demanding justice and action from Democrats like Joe Biden and Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett.

“We cannot focus on a Democratic Convention when a national crisis is going on,” said Taleavia Cole, Alvin’s sister. “Joe Biden, Ms. Harris, do you know what’s going on here? Do you know that one officer killed three people of color within five years?”

The speeches from the families were gut wrenching, both for them and the people in attendance. The love and solidarity were palpable as members of families who had never met embraced one another, to comfort each other in their shared struggles, and to reassert that justice would be done for all if they fought together.

Frank Chapman, the Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, spoke after all of the families had the opportunity to share their solemn stories about killer cops and crooked district attorneys. Chapman has been active in the movement against police crimes for 50 years. He said that the issues of police crimes and national oppression extend back in time far longer than that.

“This country was founded on genocide and slavery. Let’s be clear, because you can be awful damn confused if you don’t know the kind of quagmire that you’re in,” Chapman said. “And the quagmire that we’re in is this: this is not a broken situation, the system ain’t broke. The system was designed to do exactly what the hell it’s doing.”

After Chapman’s comments, those gathered in the park began to march, with a large banner at the front that read “We can’t breathe.” Leading the way behind the banner were the families of the victims. Taleavia Cole led chants, demanding justice and saying the names of those they were demanding justice for.

The march route traversed a good portion of downtown Milwaukee and included several important stops along the way. The first of those stops came at the District 1 Police Station, otherwise known as the Police Administration Building. People chanted “We can’t breathe” before Kobi Guillory, an organizer with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, spoke to the crowd.

“This uprising started a few months ago, started at the end of May, because people were outraged by the murder of George Floyd, by the murder of Breonna Taylor, by the murder of Ahmaud Arbery,” Guillory said. “The only people we can expect change from are ourselves. These politicians do not move unless we make them move,” said Guillory

After that, the people made their way to the Wisconsin Center where the convention was hosted. On the way, the march passed by a large billboard that read “3% of the U.S. military budget could end world hunger,” which prompted a “No justice, no peace, U.S. out of the Middle East!” chant. The march came to a stop right outside the center, with people pressed up against the chain link fencing that had been erected as a part of the hard security zone.

After a speech at that stop, the march continued to Milwaukee’s Homeland Security building, where the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and the federal agents deployed to the city as part of President Trump’s Operation Legend are housed. A few spoke here, specifically about the crisis facing immigrants and undocumented people, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, the march completed the round trip and ended back at Dontre Hamilton Park where the event was closed out with several more speakers. The first of these final speakers was Ryan Hamann, a lead organizer with the Wisconsin district of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. He spoke about the uprising in the context of the broader political struggle.

“What cannot be lost in all of this is the fundamentally political nature of the fight being waged. Black people, Chicano or Latino people, indigenous people – they are all a part of oppressed nations within the U.S.,” Hamann said. “The struggle against these crimes is not just one of social justice, but quite literally of national liberation – of Black liberation, Chicano and Latino liberation, and indigenous liberation.”

The event officially concluded with a few pieces from a social justice collection played by the Black String Triage Ensemble. Many connections were made over the course of the event that will undoubtedly come into play as the movement against police crimes in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin continues to develop. The people won’t stop until all victims of killer cops have won justice.

#MilwaukeeWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepressionNAARPR #protestMarch

Milwaukee, WI – In the early evening of August 20, around 500 people gathered in Dontre Hamilton (officially Red Arrow) Park in downtown Milwaukee to mark the final day of the Democratic National Convention. The turnout in spite of the pandemic and the vastly diminished physical presence in the city for the convention was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the organizers with the Coalition to March on the DNC.

“No matter who anybody votes for, no matter who wins, we’re always going to be out in the streets. We’re always going to be fighting for justice,” said Omar Flores, an organizer with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression and a leader in the Coalition.

The event represented something of an historic moment for Milwaukee and for the state of Wisconsin. As people everywhere have risen up against police crimes, families from all across the state victimized by police convened in Milwaukee at the demonstration.

The families of Alvin Cole, Joel Acevedo, Jay Anderson, Jonathan Tubby, Dexter Baxter and Isaiah Tucker all came together at the park where Dontre Hamilton was murdered in April 2014. Maria Hamilton, Dontre’s mother and a mother of the movement in Milwaukee, was present to open the evening’s speeches. A statement was also read on behalf of the family of Jason Pero.

This marked the first time in recent memory that families from multiple cities in Wisconsin and representing multiple nationalities united in one place for one purpose. They came to share their stories of losing their loved ones to racist killer cops, and to join their voices with the Coalition in demanding justice and action from Democrats like Joe Biden and Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett.

“We cannot focus on a Democratic Convention when a national crisis is going on,” said Taleavia Cole, Alvin’s sister. “Joe Biden, Ms. Harris, do you know what’s going on here? Do you know that one officer killed three people of color within five years?”

The speeches from the families were gut wrenching, both for them and the people in attendance. The love and solidarity were palpable as members of families who had never met embraced one another, to comfort each other in their shared struggles, and to reassert that justice would be done for all if they fought together.

Frank Chapman, the Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, spoke after all of the families had the opportunity to share their solemn stories about killer cops and crooked district attorneys. Chapman has been active in the movement against police crimes for 50 years. He said that the issues of police crimes and national oppression extend back in time far longer than that.

“This country was founded on genocide and slavery. Let’s be clear, because you can be awful damn confused if you don’t know the kind of quagmire that you’re in,” Chapman said. “And the quagmire that we’re in is this: this is not a broken situation, the system ain’t broke. The system was designed to do exactly what the hell it’s doing.”

After Chapman’s comments, those gathered in the park began to march, with a large banner at the front that read “We can’t breathe.” Leading the way behind the banner were the families of the victims. Taleavia Cole led chants, demanding justice and saying the names of those they were demanding justice for.

The march route traversed a good portion of downtown Milwaukee and included several important stops along the way. The first of those stops came at the District 1 Police Station, otherwise known as the Police Administration Building. People chanted “We can’t breathe” before Kobi Guillory, an organizer with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, spoke to the crowd.

“This uprising started a few months ago, started at the end of May, because people were outraged by the murder of George Floyd, by the murder of Breonna Taylor, by the murder of Ahmaud Arbery,” Guillory said. “The only people we can expect change from are ourselves. These politicians do not move unless we make them move,” said Guillory

After that, the people made their way to the Wisconsin Center where the convention was hosted. On the way, the march passed by a large billboard that read “3% of the U.S. military budget could end world hunger,” which prompted a “No justice, no peace, U.S. out of the Middle East!” chant. The march came to a stop right outside the center, with people pressed up against the chain link fencing that had been erected as a part of the hard security zone.

After a speech at that stop, the march continued to Milwaukee’s Homeland Security building, where the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and the federal agents deployed to the city as part of President Trump’s Operation Legend are housed. A few spoke here, specifically about the crisis facing immigrants and undocumented people, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, the march completed the round trip and ended back at Dontre Hamilton Park where the event was closed out with several more speakers. The first of these final speakers was Ryan Hamann, a lead organizer with the Wisconsin district of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. He spoke about the uprising in the context of the broader political struggle.

“What cannot be lost in all of this is the fundamentally political nature of the fight being waged. Black people, Chicano or Latino people, indigenous people – they are all a part of oppressed nations within the U.S.,” Hamann said. “The struggle against these crimes is not just one of social justice, but quite literally of national liberation – of Black liberation, Chicano and Latino liberation, and indigenous liberation.”

The event officially concluded with a few pieces from a social justice collection played by the Black String Triage Ensemble. Many connections were made over the course of the event that will undoubtedly come into play as the movement against police crimes in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin continues to develop. The people won’t stop until all victims of killer cops have won justice.

#MilwaukeeWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepressionNAARPR #protestMarch

Oshkosh, WI – On the afternoon of August 17, a large crowd of people marched and rallied to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump at Wittman Airport. Answering the call put forth by a handful of organizations, most of whom are members of the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, over 120 people gathered in the parking lot of the Lake Aire Shopping Center, just a half mile from where Trump spoke.

Despite releasing information on road closures earlier in the day with different information, the police on hand changed which roads were closed and where. This threw a wrench into the plan for the march, but organizers adapted quickly. After a few chants to get the crowd in the mood, marchers pushed forward with a large banner that read “We can’t breathe.”

With the change in route, the march took a more residential path. The protest cut right through blocks with plenty of Trump supporters, but the chanting from the marchers was deafening, drowning out whatever the counter-protesters were saying. Some people came out of their homes to cheer as the march moved down the street.

Without access to 20th Avenue, the street Wittman Airport is on, let alone to the area in front of the building where Trump was speaking, march leaders had to make do with what was available. The march ended in front of the police blockade preventing access to 20th, right next to the Southside Oshkosh post office. Speakers from organizations that led the march shared their messages with the gathered crowd.

The main thrust of the action was denouncing President Trump’s role in escalating the racist attacks against Black men and other oppressed people by police and vigilantes, but the speakers touched on a range of topics pertaining to Trump’s time in the White House.

“We can all agree that Donald Trump is a racist, a bigot and a warmonger. He is an enemy of the people. But we must also understand that Trump is just a symptom of a much larger problem, not the cause of the problem itself,” said Ryan Hamann, one of the co-chairs of the Coalition to March on the DNC. “Like I said earlier, we need to organize in our workplaces against the boss, in our communities against racist killer cops and other oppressive institutions like ICE and rich slumlords, and in our schools and on campuses against out of touch administrators and racist policies.”

Hamann continued, “All of these things that we must struggle against are tools of the ruling class used in their war against us, the working class, and we need to meet them with the force of the organized masses of working and oppressed people if we are ever going to win this fight.”

A small but very vocal group of fascists gathered behind the rally. With their loud megaphone, they shouted racist, sexist and bigoted expletives, all while other Trump supporters watched and said nothing. Despite all their noise-making, the fascists tucked tail and got out of the way the second the mass of protesters began marching back the way they’d come.

While the event was a protest of Donald Trump and everything he stands for, it also served as an appropriate kick-off to the weeks’ worth of events and actions planned in Milwaukee and other places connected to the DNC. The Coalition to March on the DNC is building momentum for their main action at 5 p.m. on August 20 in Milwaukee’s Dontre Hamilton (Red Arrow) Park.

At the rally and march, the Coalition will demand that Democrats like Joe Biden and local figures like Mayor Tom Barrett put an end to the police killings of Black men and other people. In addition, they will be joined by several families from across the state who are victims of killer cops. The families of Alvin Cole of Milwaukee, Jonathon Tubby of Green Bay and Isaiah Tucker of Oshkosh will be present to demand justice for their loved ones.

Despite the decision by Biden and the Democrats to stay home and shelter themselves from the movement for Black lives in the streets of Milwaukee, August 20 is shaping out to be a can’t-miss event.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention led the charge for both of those protests and is doing the same again. Several other organizations and allies have joined in the effort, including rank-and-file trade unionists and United Action Oshkosh (UAO).

UAO is a local organization working on reopening the case of Isaiah Tucker, a Black man murdered by Officer Aaron Achterberg of the Oshkosh Police Department on July 31, 2017. Members of Tucker’s family are joining UAO and the Coalition on August 20 when they march on the DNC in Milwaukee.

“While our Coalition exists to march on the DNC, we’ve been very clear since the start that Donald Trump is the primary enemy of working and oppressed people the world over. Trump is responsible for goading racist killer cops and vigilantes to murder Black men and others. We must defeat Trump,” said Ryan Hamann, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the DNC.

Trump is commenting on “Biden’s failures on jobs and the economy” at the Basler Flight Service on the grounds of Wittman Airport on the southside of Oshkosh. The press conference is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. The president will be met with the force of the masses of people who oppose his hateful, violent agenda. The Coalition to March on the DNC, United Action Oshkosh, and the other organizations and activists involved will be ready.

“Our first official action as an organization was back in January 2018, and it was a protest of the first year of the Trump administration. We’re proud to be in keeping with that tradition,” said Hollie Poupart, a leader with United Action Oshkosh.

Poupart went on, “On August 17 when Trump comes to town, we’re going to make sure he knows he’s not welcome here, and we’re gonna do it while raising the demand for justice for Isaiah Tucker. And after we’ve sent Trump packing, we’re going to take our message to Milwaukee for the march on the DNC on August 20. Enough is enough. We can’t breathe!”

#OshkoshWI #Protest #Antiracism #UnitedActionOshkoshUAO #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Waupaca, WI – Nearly 100 people turned out for a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in the rural Wisconsin town of Waupaca. This huge turnout for an action in such a small town came in the wake of two earlier events that faced a growing amount of harassment from police and white supremacists.

The violent arrest of activist Matt Banta at a march on August 2 and the subsequent rise in racist threats toward others contributed to the organizing of this larger event. Organizers of previous BLM actions in Waupaca have been targeted by white supremacists, with a mass armed counter-protest allegedly being planned.

Hosted at Riverview Park, the event started with an introduction from Kiki Monea, one of the lead organizers. A handful of speakers followed her, from the community and from different organizations from across the state that traveled to Waupaca.

One of the most significant speakers was Sarah Wunderlich or Big Sky Woman (her Oneida name translated into English), the aunt of Jonathon Tubby. She greeted the crowd in Oneida before continuing in English.

“The death of George Floyd has reopened old wounds that we are trying to heal. Our healing has been difficult as we try to make sense of losing our Jonathon,” Wunderlich said, reading from a statement prepared by the Tubby family.

She continued, “Jonathon’s death was preventable. The lack of communication between the Brown County Sheriff's Department and the Green Bay Police Department contributed to his death. To all those naysayers who are out there who keep telling us to let it go, accept it, move on – hell no.”

Jonathon Tubby was murdered on October 19, 2018 by Officer Erik O’Brien of the Green Bay Police Department. Green Bay is about an hour to the northeast of Waupaca. Monea explained afterward that the reason the Tubby family was invited to speak was to highlight that killer cops and police crimes exist everywhere, even just a short drive from the rural Wisconsin town.

After the comments, those in attendance took to Main Street in downtown Waupaca in spite of a heavy police presence. The march was led with a large banner made by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention that read “We can’t breathe.” The white supremacists who threatened to organize a large, armed counter-protest were limited to less than a dozen people holding thin blue line flags, protected by a few police officers.

“Bringing the movement to small towns like Waupaca is crucial to the broader change. These communities have systematic oppression of minorities that has lasted generations,” said Monea, a Waupaca resident and one of the lead organizers. “We have been active in Waupaca for roughly three months, and are still faced with armed counter-protests, aggressive and heavy police presence, threats, and public defamation of those involved in event organization. Despite this, we will move forward.”

#WaupacaWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #BLM #JonathonTubby #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Waupaca, WI – Nearly 100 people turned out for a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in the rural Wisconsin town of Waupaca. This huge turnout for an action in such a small town came in the wake of two earlier events that faced a growing amount of harassment from police and white supremacists.

The violent arrest of activist Matt Banta at a march on August 2 and the subsequent rise in racist threats toward others contributed to the organizing of this larger event. Organizers of previous BLM actions in Waupaca have been targeted by white supremacists, with a mass armed counter-protest allegedly being planned.

Hosted at Riverview Park, the event started with an introduction from Kiki Monea, one of the lead organizers. A handful of speakers followed her, from the community and from different organizations from across the state that traveled to Waupaca.

One of the most significant speakers was Sarah Wunderlich or Big Sky Woman (her Oneida name translated into English), the aunt of Jonathon Tubby. She greeted the crowd in Oneida before continuing in English.

“The death of George Floyd has reopened old wounds that we are trying to heal. Our healing has been difficult as we try to make sense of losing our Jonathon,” Wunderlich said, reading from a statement prepared by the Tubby family.

She continued, “Jonathon’s death was preventable. The lack of communication between the Brown County Sheriff's Department and the Green Bay Police Department contributed to his death. To all those naysayers who are out there who keep telling us to let it go, accept it, move on – hell no.”

Jonathon Tubby was murdered on October 19, 2018 by Officer Erik O’Brien of the Green Bay Police Department. Green Bay is about an hour to the northeast of Waupaca. Monea explained afterward that the reason the Tubby family was invited to speak was to highlight that killer cops and police crimes exist everywhere, even just a short drive from the rural Wisconsin town.

After the comments, those in attendance took to Main Street in downtown Waupaca in spite of a heavy police presence. The march was led with a large banner made by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention that read “We can’t breathe.” The white supremacists who threatened to organize a large, armed counter-protest were limited to less than a dozen people holding thin blue line flags, protected by a few police officers.

“Bringing the movement to small towns like Waupaca is crucial to the broader change. These communities have systematic oppression of minorities that has lasted generations,” said Monea, a Waupaca resident and one of the lead organizers. “We have been active in Waupaca for roughly three months, and are still faced with armed counter-protests, aggressive and heavy police presence, threats, and public defamation of those involved in event organization. Despite this, we will move forward.”

#WaupacaWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #BLM #JonathonTubby #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

“Our main goal as a group is to defeat Donald Trump. He is the key figure in promoting racist killings of Black, Latino and indigenous people, whether by vigilantes or the police,” said Ryan Hamann, one of the co-chairs of the Coalition.

Hamann continued, “But we need to also be clear in demanding that Joe Biden and the Democrats stop these killer cops who operate in Democrat-controlled cities like right here in Milwaukee. We must continue to build the people’s movements, especially against police crimes and for community control of the police.”

The Coalition is working to unite the families of victims of killer cops, particularly in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas, to attend and speak at the event on August 20.

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, a member organization of the Coalition, is an integral part in the fight for justice for victims of killer cops locally. They’ve led or participated in many of the actions demanding justice for “Thee Three” – Alvin Cole, Jay Anderson and Antonio Gonzales.

“What we’re hoping to do during the DNC is shine a spotlight on the fact that killer cops exist everywhere, whether it’s a big city like Milwaukee or a small town like Oshkosh. We want to bring together as many families as possible from across Wisconsin,” said Lauryn Cross, a leader with the Milwaukee Alliance.

“We want to make sure their cases get the national attention and pressure that they deserve. Cops are killing Black, Latino and indigenous people without consequence. They’re occupying our communities all across the country. We can’t breathe,” said Cross.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #Labor #OppressedNationalities #WomensMovement #LGBTQ #US #Healthcare #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #HousingStruggles #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #Elections #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC #2020Election #JoeBiden

People in cities and towns across the country are protesting racist police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Alvin Cole right here in Milwaukee. Protests in Minneapolis ignited a fire that swept across the country, producing the largest civil rights movement in U.S. history.

For the Coalition, a shift in priority is necessary. Rather than maintaining the strategy of not giving priority to any one of the nine points of unity, the Coalition will be amplifying one of them in particular: the demand for community control of the police and an end to police terror.

Part of this shift means getting the people directly impacted by killer cops involved in the demonstration in order to give their cases the national attention they deserve. The families of Alvin Cole from Milwaukee, Isaiah Tucker from Oshkosh, and Jonathon Tubby from Green Bay agreed to join their voices with the Coalition in demanding justice for their loved ones and others.

“Alvin Cole was one of many who’ve lost their lives brutally to police violence. Families of victims and the community cannot celebrate a national convention when a national crisis is occurring in their state,” said Taleavia Cole, Alvin’s sister. “Allowing the families to share their story is standing up for injustice everywhere.”

Organizations such as the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, whose primary area of work is fighting racist police crimes, will be at the fore of the August 20 rally and march.

“It’s clear that Trump is provoking violence against protesters and encouraging police killings of Black and other people. He is public enemy number one and we must defeat him,” said Lauryn Cross, a leader with the Milwaukee Alliance. “But we also can’t ignore that it’s Democrats who run the majority of the cities where cops get away with these murders.”

Frank Chapman, the executive director of the National Alliance, added, “Democrats have played their own role in enabling killer cops. Their answer to this crisis is to shoot people in the leg instead of the heart, but we’re not having that. Nothing short of community control of the police and justice for the victims of police crimes. Enough is enough. We can’t breathe.”

The Coalition is urging all other local and statewide organizations and their supporters to join with them in mobilizing for this important demonstration.

#MilwaukeeWI #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

On June 26, a national call was sent out by organizers in Jacksonville, Florida to join them in marching on the Republican National Convention. The main slogan of this action is “We Can’t Breathe – Defeat Donald Trump!” – a strong message in the midst of continuing protests stemming from the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others.

On August 27, Donald Trump will be at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena to deliver an acceptance speech for his re-election bid for president. Organizers in Jacksonville have moved decisively to form the Coalition to March on the RNC to ensure that Trump is met with a massive response from the people.

1000 miles to the north, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention has been organizing since April 2019 to lead a mass mobilization on the first day of the DNC in Milwaukee. The expressed goal of this coalition from the start has been the defeat of Donald Trump through the promotion of a broad people’s agenda and the strengthening of the people’s movements needed to win the demands.

This being the case, it has been unanimously agreed that the Coalition to March on the DNC has officially moved to endorse the action being organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC.

“Donald Trump is a racist; Donald Trump is a bigot; and Donald Trump is anti-worker,” said Ryan Hamann, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the DNC. “Trump has given lip-service to the movements in the streets, saying the killing of George Floyd was a ‘terrible thing,’ but these words are meaningless from a man who has instigated racist violence every step of the way on his march to the White House.”

Hamann continued, “The Coalition to March on the DNC is proud to endorse the action in Jacksonville against Trump. This president is the best representative of a system in its death throes. He is the wretched underbelly of this country exposed in all its infamy. The people will continue to rise to meet Trump wherever he is. Whether it’s at the ballot box or in the streets, we will beat him and all he stands for.”

#MilwaukeeWI #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

“We met Trump with more than 2000 people when he came to Milwaukee at the start of the year,” said Ryan Hamann, co-chair of the Coalition. “Together with our allies in Green Bay, we’re going to give him a greeting like only the people can! We made it clear before, and we’ll do it again: Trump and his racist, bigoted, anti-worker platform aren’t welcome in our state.”

On June 25, Trump will be touring Marinette Marine, a shipbuilding company that got its start in tiny Marinette on the Menominee River during World War II. Lockheed Martin, the notorious company that has made millions and millions of dollars in profit off the ongoing wars in the Middle East, is a minority owner of the northern Wisconsin shipbuilding company. President Trump is expected to discuss the expansion of the shipyard and the recent contract his administration awarded to Marinette Marine to build ten new ships for up to $5.5 billion.

Marinette Marine has built several ships in the past for the U.S. military. Just recently, on April 30, the company won the bid to produce the new FFG(X) multimission guided-missile frigate. The new ship will be an upgrade on an older model as the U.S., under Trump’s leadership, continues to ramp up its military posturing around the world.

Meanwhile, the U.S, economy continues to tank as the country is wracked with the worst unemployment numbers since the Great Depression and thousands of people remain in the streets, protesting police crimes and in support of Black lives. COVID-19 cases continue to increase while the president peddles ‘solutions’ like slowing down testing to slow down the amount of new cases.

“We're calling this protest because President Trump's arrival in our state is an insult to all the people fighting to survive in this pandemic, working with little to no workplace protections, while being told they're 'essential,’” said Aodhan Bowman, a Green Bay-based organizer with the Coalition. “His toxic rhetoric targets immigrants and marginalized populations for abuse while government contracts like the one recently handed to Marinette Marine reward company owners and force the workers to produce for them in spite of the danger to their lives and families.”

After Trump’s visit to this military contractor, he will check in at the Green Bay Austin Strobel International Airport for a town hall meeting hosted by Fox News anchor Sean Hannity. According to Hannity, the president will be discussing “the latest on police reform and the 2020 election.”

The Coalition will be outside the spot of Trump’s town hall meeting, demanding justice for the victims of police crimes, an end to U.S. wars and interventions, and investment in jobs, education, and other resources for the people. The rally is set to begin at 7 p.m. and will feature a handful of speakers, including a member from the family of Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man who was murdered by the Brown County Sheriff’s Department in October 2018.

“The fact that the ‘pattern-or-practice’ investigations, a federal practice put in place following the beating of Rodney King by the LAPD in 1992 to scour police departments, were frozen the moment Trump took office speaks to what his views are on the issue of ‘police reform’. That practice was extremely flawed to begin with,” said Hamann.

Hamann continued, “What we need is community control of the police. We don’t need more untrustworthy government officials getting involved only to let families down a second time in their bid for justice for their murdered loved ones. Winning justice for Jonathan, Jason Pero, Alvin Cole, Joel Acevedo, and all other victims of killer cops means giving more power to the people to determine who and how their communities are policed.”

#GreenBayWI #InJusticeSystem #PoliceBrutality #Trump #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC #CommunityControlOfThePolice

Milwaukee, WI—The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention met with officials from the city of Milwaukee on May 21 to discuss the coalition’s permit and plan to protest. The goals of the coalition are to defeat President Trump and to advance a progressive people’s agenda, thus building stronger movements to challenge the Democratic Party. Lawyers for the Wisconsin ACLU arranged the meeting and led the discussions.

The meeting with the city of Milwaukee confirmed that the COVID-19 health crisis is causing most in the Democratic Party to consider alternatives to an indoor convention with thousands present. This will greatly limit the Democratic National Convention (DNC) delegate turnout in Milwaukee, but a protest will still happen.

“The coalition still plans to gather and march, with masks and safe distancing, outside whatever forum or corporate office the DNC uses in Milwaukee on the first day, August 17,” co-chair Ryan Hamann said after the meeting.

Tracy Schwerdtfeger, who applied for the march permit a year ago, said, “We have been trying to meet with the city for a long time. What we want is a family-friendly march that goes within sight and sound of the DNC, so they see us and hear our demands. We finally approached the ACLU about filing a lawsuit for our permit and finally we are getting somewhere.”

Hamann emphasized, “Trump is responsible for people dying all across this country, and it is difficult to see him winning in November. However, the massive economic downturn is making it plain to see that Wall Street bankers and corporate elites dominate the Democratic Party too. We see Democratic governors and mayors, just like Republicans, are busy proposing cutbacks for workers and poor people while Congress approves trillions in bailouts for big business and banks.”

The coalition represented by the ACLU plans to meet with the city of Milwaukee as the situation develops. The city says new ordinances are planned to deal with protesters.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #CapitalismAndEconomy #StudentMovement #InJusticeSystem #Labor #OppressedNationalities #US #PeoplesStruggles #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #Elections #MarchOnTheDNC #DonaldTrump #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention.

On April 8, Senator Bernie Sanders suspended his 2020 Democratic primary campaign. The Sanders campaign has inspired millions of working class and oppressed people, including an overwhelming majority of young people. The movement-building emphasis of the Sanders campaign is what truly sets it apart from anything seen in the U.S. since perhaps Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition in the 1980s.

What Sanders’s candidacy demonstrated again in 2020 is that working and oppressed people in the U.S. want more than what they’ve been afforded under the current system. His candidacy has solidified the fact that the change that people here so desperately need cannot come from the electoral arena. The ruling class who is in control of these mechanisms will not allow a self-proclaimed socialist to attain the highest office in government. However, this exact thing is why Sanders’ insistence on a mass movement of people is so significant.

History has shown that only when masses of people have united around demands, organized themselves into movements, and demonstrated for their causes in workplaces, on campuses, and in communities across the country have they ever been able to win change. The Coalition to March on the DNC exists to bring together as many of those progressive movements as possible in an effort to demonstrate the kind of future that is necessary for the masses of working and oppressed people in the U.S.

We have always sought to build the broadest possible coalition, whether that means revolutionary organizations, non-profits, labor organizations, or any other element within the people’s movements. Most of our points of unity can be connected to the types of things that Bernie has been promoting for his entire life. The Coalition to March on the DNC is a natural landing spot for his supporters who want to keep building the people’s movements.

Defeating Donald Trump is going to be on the minds of most people heading into November. Doing this in a practical sense can take a number of different forms. While some will look to the ballot box as the only option, others will work to develop broader networks, building stronger bases in their workplaces, communities and schools, and seek to challenge Trump and his reactionary policies more directly.

Bernie has always been clear about one thing: regardless of who it is that occupies the White House, without a mass movement at the grassroots level, nothing meaningful will be accomplished. The Coalition to March on the DNC as a temporary alliance of the various people’s movements serves as the most immediate extension of this call to continue organizing.

The start of the DNC has been moved from July 13 to August 17 due to the coronavirus. The Coalition intends to lead a mass demonstration within sight and sound of the Fiserv Forum, including a rally with many speakers and a march. The event will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 17, the first day of the convention. All progressives, socialists and people’s movements are encouraged to make plans to join the Coalition to March on the DNC in Milwaukee this summer. For more information, please visit the Coalition’s website at www.marchondnc.org.

#UnitedStates #US #PeoplesStruggles #Elections #BernieSanders #DonaldTrump #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC #2020Election

New York, NY – On February 22, a Wisconsin delegation invited a conference of nearly 60 organizations to join a major protest at the Democratic National Convention taking place in Milwaukee in July.

The members of the Coalition to March on the DNC made their announcement on the second day of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) national conference. The UNAC conference is a major gathering of international solidarity and anti-oppression activists from across North America, taking place at the People’s Forum in New York City.

The coalition is calling on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist organizations to join the March on the DNC. Points of unity include an end to all U.S. wars and interventions; community control of the police; legalization for all; taxation of the rich; Medicare for all; immediate action on climate change; expansion of workers and union rights; a war on poverty instead of on poor people; and peace, justice and equality for all.

Coalition to March on the DNC spokesperson Adelana Akindes, of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, told the hundreds in the audience, “So be it the DNC or the RNC, we need to show up each time and demonstrate that the people’s movement is where our energies need to go, and that the people’s needs are the true priority.”

The group’s appearance in New York came as new questions were raised about the Democratic Party’s process for nominating a presidential candidate. Widespread skepticism about the Iowa caucus results were compounded by last week’s televised debate, in which all Democratic candidates, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, endorsed the party’s complex system of superdelegates who can override popular vote results at the summer convention.

Repression in Milwaukee

“Mayor Tom Barrett is currently attempting to stifle our march. The coalition applied for a permit to march as early as last April, and yet Barrett and the city of Milwaukee are refusing to grant us our permit,” said Akindes. “It’s a disgusting disregard for our First Amendment rights.”

“Despite all the attempts the city is making, whether it be sabotaging our efforts, denying us permits, or widening security parameters, let’s be very clear: we will still be marching on the DNC,” she continued.

Akindes highlighted how the same city leaders denying the coalition protest permits have failed to improve conditions for residents of the DNC host city. “The city of Milwaukee has extreme problems,” she explained. “Most Black people living in the state of Wisconsin live in Milwaukee. Milwaukee currently holds the record as the most segregated city, not in Wisconsin but the entire United States. Gentrification is on the rise, pushing Black and brown people from their historic neighborhoods. Police brutality and police funding are on the rise. Milwaukee has some of the highest incarceration rates of Black people in the country. The homeless population is being cracked down upon. And in many areas, the rates of lead poisoning from lead water pipes is even worse than Flint, Michigan.”

“We invite you to mobilize with us in Milwaukee on the morning of July 13 and march together on the DNC,” concluded Akindes. “We want to show all who are watching the DNC that the people have the power. We are excited to see you all there!”

Early endorsing organizations include UNAC, Milwaukee and Minnesota Anti-War Committees, Sunrise Movement chapters from Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago, the recently refounded National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, the International League for People’s Struggle, CODEPINK, and dozens of others. More information can be found at MarchOnDNC.org.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #US #PeoplesStruggles #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #Elections #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

New York, NY – Organizers with the Milwaukee-based Coalition to March on the DNC are attending the national conference of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), to build support for a major protest at the Democratic National Convention in July.

The Coalition to March on the DNC is a broad coalition of left and progressive forces who plan to bring popular demands to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, slated to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The march will be held on the opening morning of the convention, Monday, July 13.

“All eyes will be on Milwaukee when the people’s movements protest outside the DNC as it takes place at the Fiserv Forum, July 13 through July 16, 2020. The Coalition calls on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist organizations to join us in unity,” said Omar Flores, spokesperson for the Coalition.

UNAC is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the leading U.S. anti-war coalition, with its fifth national conference taking place February 21-23. Representatives from nearly 60 organizations from across the country attended Friday’s opening panel, titled “Opposing Imperialist Wars,” which featured Bahman Azad of the U.S. Peace Council, Bernadette Ellorin of Filipina-American organization BAYAN-USA, and Camilo Mejia, a Nicaraguan-American who became a prisoner of conscience for refusing U.S. military deployment during the Iraq War. The panel was moderated by longtime anti-war and labor activist Joe Lombardo.

The Coalition to March on the DNC has already received dozens of endorsements from groups across the country, many of which are planning to travel to Milwaukee for the protest.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #US #PeoplesStruggles #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #Elections #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of January 27, organizers for the Coalition to March on the DNC held a press conference outside City Hall to announce their intention to sue the city if their permit to rally and march is not delivered. Despite having reserved the rotunda inside the building, the press conference was forced to be held outside.

This was the result of a city council representative not booking the room for that evening, even after all proper procedures were followed by the Coalition. This is further proof that the City of Milwaukee is trying to silence the freedoms of speech and assembly of the people.

During the press conference, Ryan Hamann, spokesperson for the Coalition, described the plans to sue if the city remained silent on the issue of permits. The Milwaukee Police Department has met with the Secret Service for the past six months to discuss security parameters for the DNC.

The city’s current plans encompass a large portion of the western segment of downtown Milwaukee, according to a recent announcement. These plans were announced over a week ago, with the claim that permit applications would begin to be addressed. No update has been given to the Coalition on their application, however.

“Mayor Barrett and his administration want a certain image presented of Milwaukee when the DNC comes to town in July,” Hamann said about the lack of response by the city administration. “They don't want protests; they don't want demonstrations. They want to pretend that Milwaukee is a city without problems.”

The ball is now in the court of the city government and Mayor Tom Barrett. So far, his office remains silent on the subject, while continuing its multi-million dollar efforts to roll out the red carpet for the DNC and its corporate backers. The Coalition will continue forward with a lawsuit if the city continues to deny the constitutional rights of its citizens. They are consulting with a number of civil rights attorneys. This most recent slight will only serve to bolster their case.

No matter the outcome, the Coalition to March on the DNC will continue its preparation for the rally and march on July 13, 2020.

Another action is being planned for the end of February that will involve city hall. The Coalition has no intention of being ignored.

“There are real issues affecting not just the people of Milwaukee, but people everywhere around this country,” Hamann said. “With the demands that comprise our points of unity, we can run Trump out of office and move towards a brighter tomorrow for all working-class and other oppressed people.”

#MilwaukeeWI #InJusticeSystem #US #PeoplesStruggles #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #PoliticalRepression #Elections #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Milwaukee, WI – As President Donald Trump took the stage at the UW-Milwaukee Panthers Arena on the evening of January 14, over 2000 rallied and marched against his visit and his reactionary agenda. The action was led by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, a growing group of nearly 20 organizations that has come together to march and protest at the Democratic Convention which will be in Milwaukee this summer.

Omar Flores, a leader with the coalition, served as the press representative for the action and also spoke at the rally before the mass march. Afterward, he explained why the Coalition to March on the DNC organized the demonstration against Trump.

“Such a small part of the democratic process occurs in the voting booth. At the end of the day, the only power that matters is people power,” Flores said. “We’re out here today to build the people’s movements. That’s how we fight back and win against Trump.”

The action began with a rally of hundreds at Dontre Hamilton (Red Arrow) Park where a couple speakers from key sponsoring organizations discussed the importance of coming together in solidarity against Trump.

“Trump is the ruling class with their mask torn off. He is the most honest expression of our class enemy in all their infamy,” Kellie Lutz, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said. “He is an enemy of working class and oppressed people everywhere, and he must be defeated!”

As the demonstrators left the park and headed towards the arena, their numbers began to swell with droves of supporters joining their march. The Milwaukee Police Department descended on the crowd, forcing them to march on the sidewalk. One officer almost hit a protester and a small child with his bike while attempting to contain the crowd. Marshals present helped to ensure the safety and security of the participants, both from the police and from counter-protesters.

Once outside the arena, thousands joined chants together, drowning out the small number of Trump supporters present. Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, a major immigrant rights organization, spoke about the importance of united front against Trump and his administration, which has continued to attack and illegally imprison immigrants.

Lauryn Cross, a young activist from the Youth Climate Action Team, spoke about fighting against the destruction Trump and the rich have caused for our planet. She was joined by many other young fighters, including those of UW-Parkside Students for a Democratic Society.

“Seeing so many people mobilized for one event in Milwaukee gave me and many others a glimpse into what injustices are possible to use as a principle for unity here in this city,” Cross said.

Although the rally officially ended around 7 p.m., numbers remained strong long afterwards, so much so that the Milwaukee Police Department deployed over 100 riot police to intimate those who remained.

With this major success, the Coalition to March on the DNC proceeds with a full head of steam toward July 13, the first day of the convention. Their first major battle is with the city of Milwaukee over the granting of a permit for their planned demonstration. Meetings are held once a month, 5 p.m. on the second Friday.

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

“The fact that we’re still mobilizing in huge numbers four years into Trump’s presidency tells us something about where the masses of people are at,” said Ryan Hamann, a leader with the Coalition to March on the DNC, the organization who initiated the call to protest.

“Trump is the main enemy of the working class and other oppressed people. I think Milwaukee is going to make sure he knows that before he’s done here,” Hamann said.

The event has a dozen co-sponsors and even more endorsements from Milwaukee- and Wisconsin-based organizations. The rally is set to begin at 6 p.m. at Dontre Hamilton (Red Arrow) Park, proceeding to the nearby Pere Marquette Park, and finishing in the streets directly in front of the main entrance of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, where Trump and his supporters will be gathered inside.

#MilwaukeeWI #US #PeoplesStruggles #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Ryan Hamann of the Coalition to March on the DNC said, “We are picking up new endorsements for our march in Milwaukee, the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, July 13. We are united by a people’s agenda and dozens of groups are signing on.”

Hamann continued, “We will lead a mass rally and march within ‘sight and sound’ of the Fiserv Forum where the DNC is being held. We filed for permits over six months ago, but Mayor Barrett is denying us a permit. He is rolling out the red carpet for Wall Street politicians, but not people like us who live here in Milwaukee. So now we are looking at a law suit to obtain the permits.”

Frank Chapman of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression said, “We are marching on the DNC because while we must defeat Trump, the Democratic Party is in control of where we organize in Black and brown, working class, and LGBTQ communities. We are harshly impacted by police killings. Our neighborhoods are under siege by the police. We want to make sure the Democratic Party hears our demands for community control of the police, and to win the release of political prisoners and wrongfully convicted prisoners.”

Chrisley Carpio of SDS said, “We are joining the march on the DNC because we want to see an end to U.S. wars and to stop the U.S. government from putting children in cages on the border. We need legalization for all! Students from across the country are marching to say, ‘Stop climate change now!’”

“For real change, we need to build a mass movement to defeat U.S. imperialism,” said Bev Tang of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS). The ILPS is also hosting a forum in Milwaukee.

The Coalition to March on the DNC will gather at 10 a.m., Monday, July 13 in downtown Milwaukee for a family-friendly rally. Led by Milwaukee activists and their friends from across the country, there will be a wide array of groups, unions, and communities represented. People will hold signs and march with banners, raise their voices to chant and sing, and they will pass the main entrance of Fiserv Forum where the DNC is being held.

#MilwaukeeWI #US #PeoplesStruggles #Elections #NAARPR #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC