Oshkosh, WI – Over a dozen community members rallied in downtown Oshkosh on Saturday afternoon, September 25, to demonstrate their support for a Civilian Police Accountability Council, or CPAC, in their city.

The rally took place at Isaiah Tucker Square, recently renamed by the community in memoriam of Isaiah Tucker, a father of three children, who was murdered by officers Aaron Achterburg and Kyle Roberts of the Oshkosh Police Department in 2017. Several grassroots community action groups united to organize the demonstration, including United Action Oshkosh, Food Not Bombs, and Hope Fridge.

Sophia Rose, an organizer with United Action Oshkosh said, “I helped to organize this event because I believe that it’s important that cities across the U.S., including Oshkosh, begin to look at solutions to the policing problem. CPAC is a great start to police accountability and community control.”

Rose continued, “We’ve gotten to a point where police are seen as above us when they are not, they work for us. We pay them, they are supposed to ‘protect and serve’ us.”

The event drew a positive response from the community and passersby who stopped to talk, learn, and enjoy hot food and refreshments from Food Not Bombs. The rally ended with a call to action, for people to support their local grassroots community organizations, join them and help them grow.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #UnitedActionOshkosh #civilianPoliceAccountabilityCouncilCPAC

Oshkosh, WI – Over a dozen community members rallied in downtown Oshkosh on Saturday afternoon, September 25, to demonstrate their support for a Civilian Police Accountability Council, or CPAC, in their city.

The rally took place at Isaiah Tucker Square, recently renamed by the community in memoriam of Isaiah Tucker, a father of three children, who was murdered by officers Aaron Achterburg and Kyle Roberts of the Oshkosh Police Department in 2017. Several grassroots community action groups united to organize the demonstration, including United Action Oshkosh, Food Not Bombs, and Hope Fridge.

Sophia Rose, an organizer with United Action Oshkosh said, “I helped to organize this event because I believe that it’s important that cities across the U.S., including Oshkosh, begin to look at solutions to the policing problem. CPAC is a great start to police accountability and community control.”

Rose continued, “We’ve gotten to a point where police are seen as above us when they are not, they work for us. We pay them, they are supposed to ‘protect and serve’ us.”

The event drew a positive response from the community and passersby who stopped to talk, learn, and enjoy hot food and refreshments from Food Not Bombs. The rally ended with a call to action, for people to support their local grassroots community organizations, join them and help them grow.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #UnitedActionOshkosh #civilianPoliceAccountabilityCouncilCPAC

Oshkosh, WI – 30 concerned community and family members gathered to call for justice for Isaiah Tucker, who was shot and killed by Oshkosh police officer Aaron Achterberg on July 31, 2017. The protest marked the four-year anniversary of his murder. No charges were ever filed in Isaiah’s case. The police department investigated themselves with other officers and determined that all instances of violence towards Tucker were justified.

This annual event was organized by United Action Oshkosh (UAO) and the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression along with the Tucker family to publicly address ongoing concerns of wrongdoing by the hands of police.

After a full program of speakers and chants, there was a call to action to collectively file a mass complaint on behalf of Tucker and those who cared about him. For seven days, the public around the country is being rallied to call, email and continuously bring attention to this murder case with the demands that the officers involved be severely disciplined or fired for the intimidating and erroneous misconduct before, during, and after Tucker was killed. The event organizers are also demanding the implementation of a civilian-led Police Accountability Council (CPAC).

The seven days of action represent the seven-plus minutes Isaiah was stripped of all his clothes and pinned down by officers after he was found critically injured in the shed in which he was hiding.

Anyone who is interested in participating in this series of actions should do any one of the following and demand justice, transparency and accountability: Email Bob Vajgrt, the president of the Oshkosh Police and Fire Commission (PFC), at bobvajgrt1941@gmail.com; call the secretary of the PFC at 920-236-5110; or call the Oshkosh Police Department at 920-236-5700.

For a call or email script, any other information people may want about Isaiah’s murder or how they can help, or how to get involved with United Action Oshkosh or the Wisconsin Alliance, interested persons should visit their social media pages on Facebook or Instagram.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #UnitedActionOshkosh #IsaiahTucker #WisconsinAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression

Daunte Wright was allegedly pulled over for the air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror; later police claimed Wright had a warrant, which confused him, causing him to sit back down into his vehicle. While trying to forcefully remove him from his vehicle, Officer Potter shot Wright in the abdomen with her gun. She immediately claimed she thought she had been holding her taser. Protesters are calling this error “inexcusable” and are demanding that the ‘veteran’ Officer Potter be fully held accountable to the law the same way that any regular person would be.

Protesters in Oshkosh highlighted the similarities between the murder of Daunte Wright and the murder of Isaiah Tucker in their own community almost four years ago, when officer Aaron Achterberg fatally shot Tucker for entering his vehicle attempting to ‘flee.’

“For years we have seen cases of police shooting Black men, women and children with no accountability. It’s happening everywhere and not just in big cities,” said Hollie Poupart, a leader with United Action Oshkosh and of the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. “Police are shooting and killing here in smaller cities like Oshkosh, Appleton, Green Bay and across the country. Enough is enough!”

Local grassroots organizations like United Action Oshkosh and the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression are calling for a Civilian Police Accountability Council to be enacted to hold police officers accountable when they cause serious harm. More protests will take place as tensions resurface, fueling the drive for changes around the country.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #UnitedActionOshkosh #WisconsinAllianceAgainstRacistPoliticalRepressionWAARPR #DaunteWright

Oshkosh, WI – On the evening of July 31, 50 people from Oshkosh and the surrounding Fox Valley participated in a protest and vigil for Isaiah Tucker. The event, organized by United Action Oshkosh (UAO), marked the three-year anniversary of Isaiah’s murder by Oshkosh police officers Aaron Achterberg and Kyle Roberts. This event was also a call for the Oshkosh Police Department to fire, indict and convict killer cop Achterberg and his accomplice Roberts, both of whom are still employed by Oshkosh Police Department.

Attendees of the event took to the streets and marched to the Oshkosh Police Department to demand justice for Isaiah. Guest speakers included Isaiah’s brother, Bobby, as well as Lauryn Cross, a leader from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, and Ryan Hamann, a co-chair of the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention.

“We recognize that Trump is a leading figure goading killer cops and vigilantes, and that he needs to be defeated, but we must also demand that Joe Biden and the Democrats put an end to these racist killings like what happened to Isaiah Tucker,” said Hamann. “Through the march on the DNC, the Coalition hopes to shine a national spotlight on Isaiah’s case, to bring much needed awareness and pressure. Police crimes and killer cops exist everywhere. It’s an issue that isn’t restricted to the big cities and it’s high time we did something about it.”

Some members of Isaiah Tucker’s family will be joining with the Coalition to March on the DNC in Milwaukee on August 20 to take their demand for justice to a national stage.

The speakers put out a call to action to not only win justice for Tucker and his family, but also to establish a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) in the city. This council would provide civilian control over the hiring and firing of police officers in the city, to review and veto the police department’s budget, and to call for truly independent investigations of police crimes.

Holding the Oshkosh Police Department accountable would give a measure of justice for Isaiah Tucker by firing, indicting and convicting Aaron Achterberg and Kyle Roberts, as well as ensuring that killer cops are held accountable to the people in the city and could not hold a job as police officers.

#OshkoshWI #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #UnitedActionOshkosh

United Action Oshkosh (UAO) hosted this year's event with aims to give local women a chance to use their voice to both demonstrate and educate, but ultimately to celebrate inspiring women.

Lindsey Spietz, a leader of UAO, welcomed everyone and gave a brief introduction of the work that the group is doing, highlighting how combating police crimes is a women's issue, stating, “40% of police officers commit violence against their partners or children versus 10% in the general population. The most common disciplinary action taken by the department of these perpetrators is simply putting them through counseling.”

Spietz continued, “A police department that has domestic violence offenders among its ranks will not effectively serve and protect victims in the community. We must hold them accountable by putting power back into the hands of the people, especially people of color, women and the working class.”

From there, those in attendance were treated to a program that featured two keynote speakers.

First to speak was Wisconsin Freedom Road Socialist Organization's Isabella Beaupré, who powerfully highlighted capitalism’s attack on women and victims of domestic violence and left those in attendance feeling moved and inspired.

“We celebrate International Women’s Day to celebrate and honor the women who are neglected by history, who shaped the freedoms we do have, and continue to fight for the freedoms we still desperately need,” Beaupre said. “Women should go forward from IWD continuing to struggle, feel, survive, ache, love, and build for a new world.”

The second keynote was Kellie Lutz, who, as chair of the Stone Creek Coffee Worker's Union, spoke on her efforts to unionize 135 service industry workers at 13 different locations in southeastern Wisconsin. There has been national support as this would be the first union-backed coffee shop in Wisconsin history. The fact that this union effort is being led by a woman, although not surprising, is proof that women are the driving force and fire of movements in all aspects of life.

The mic was then opened up the audience. Members of United Action Oshkosh and the broader Fox Valley community took to the stage to share their experiences or to remember the true history of International Women's Day and all of the inspiring women that have and continue to move mountains.

#AppletonWI #PeoplesStruggles #InternationalWomensDay #UnitedActionOshkosh

With only a few days’ notice, the rally was organized after a call to action came from the Legalization for All Network.

“I think it’s important to communicate to people in this town who their allies are when it comes to standing against bigotry and unethical policies,” said Courtney Earl, a member of UAO. “Establishing that network of support is an important step in effecting meaningful change.”

UAO has protested similar decisions by the Trump administration, most notably the bombing of Syria last spring, the selection of rapist Brett Kavanaugh as nominee to the Supreme Court, and in opposition to the anti-transgender amendment of Title IX. The group stands in total opposition to Donald Trump and his anti-people agenda.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #DonaldTrump #UnitedActionOshkosh #NationalEmergency

The people who spoke at the vigil demanded accountability, transparency and the immediate suspension of the officers involved. Members of Native Lives Matter spoke on the killings of unarmed Native American people all over the United States. Hollie Poupart, an activist with Oshkosh-based community organization United Action Oshkosh (UAO), spoke at the end of the vigil. Her message of police accountability councils was put forward as a means of seeing justice done for Tubby and his family.

During the night of October 19, Green Bay Police Officer Erik O’Brien shot and killed Tubby during the booking process at Brown County Jail. He was arrested that evening for failing to report to court for a recent DUI charge. The details of this case aren’t well known, with an investigation taking weeks before the state will know what events led to Tubby’s death. The family and friends of Tubby demand to know what caused O'Brien to shoot him. Tubby was presumed to be unarmed.

Even though an investigation has not yet been completed, Officer O’Brien has been allowed to return to his work on ‘administrative duties.’ This decision sparked outrage and disgust in the community and from Tubby's loved ones.

In an open letter read at the November 2 vigil, the family wrote, “The community wants transparency and accountability. It is unfathomable that the officer who killed Jonathon has already returned to work. The community demands that this officer be removed from work until this investigation has been completed.” The letter also stated, “The community also demands the immediate release of any video tape involved in the shootings.”

Lindsey Spietz, a leader from UAO, attended the demonstration. “It was very apparent from the chorus of voices raised at the vigil that many of the tribal community members are fed up with the lack of transparency and police accountability,” Spietz said. “The indigenous people of this country have for too long been oppressed and murdered by the government.”

Spietz continued, “A police accountability council would help bring their frustrations and concerns to the forefront. It would put the power back in their hands, allowing them to hold this police officer responsible for the death of Jonathon Tubby.”

According to recent updates, there were no cameras located in the sally port where Tubby was killed, leaving the community to wonder why. The investigation is only beginning. The family, friends, and community activists will apply pressure on the Brown County Police Department to hold those responsible for Tubby’s death accountable. As ever, the struggle against police brutality continues. We stand tall when we say, “Justice for Jonathon Tubby!”

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #BlackLivesMatter #UnitedActionOshkosh #JonathanTubby #NativeLivesMatter

Oshkosh, WI – Members of the Oshkosh community gathered June 14 to protest the separation of immigrant families and the detainment of children. The protest was in response to the recent actions by the Trump administration of separating all children from their family at the U.S.-Mexico border. Over 2000 children have already been ripped away from their families since the operation began.

Organized by United Action Oshkosh (UAO), the protest was held at the Oshkosh Sun Dial, where participants could be heard close to Senator Ron Johnson’s office. Senator Johnson has stated in the past that he supports an increase in border security while opposing amnesty for undocumented people. Governor Scott Walker has also ordered nearly two dozen National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border. This misuse of state resources is a despicable addition to the cruel policy of family separation in the U.S.

United Action Oshkosh continues to focus on its current campaign on making Oshkosh a sanctuary city, along with the creation of an Oshkosh Police Accountability Council (OPAC). With this addition, the sanctuary city resolution would be a strong step towards police accountability and support for the marginalized communities within Oshkosh. UAO will hold its next sanctuary city workshop for the public in July.

#OshkoshWI #UnitedActionOshkosh

The UAO celebration marks a historic first. Although surrounding communities like Appleton and Fond du Lac have hosted events, the city of Oshkosh has never held a similar gathering to commemorate the Juneteenth until now.

“People stayed for about two or three hours and enjoyed themselves and talked about the community and things that need to change,” said Jeremy Bradley, UAO member and primary organizer of the event.

UAO’s ongoing campaign is to have Oshkosh be recognized as a sanctuary city and is aimed at protecting undocumented people in the city. As a component of the campaign, UAO developed a resolution to be passed by the Oshkosh Common Council that calls for creating a Civilian Police Accountability Council. The proposed Oshkosh Police Accountability Council (OPAC) would serve not only as a place for to make complaints about police, but also as a way for the people of Oshkosh to have some control over the police department.

This is an important inclusion, because last summer the Oshkosh Police Department (OPD) was responsible for killing Isaiah Tucker, an unarmed Black resident of the city, shooting him eleven times. The police were absolved of any wrongdoing in the case, despite the video evidence and the changing stories of Aaron Achterberg and Kyle Roberts, the officers involved in the murder. Those two remain employed by the Oshkosh Police Department to this day.

Members of Isaiah Tucker's family attended the Juneteenth celebration, sharing their thoughts about the event and expressing their desire to see justice done. “I thought the event was pretty awesome and I feel it gave people in our community a chance to speak out about the injustices in the Oshkosh Police force,” said Tarra Woods, Tucker's sister. “I feel the Oshkosh Police Department – especially officer Aaron Achterberg – needs to be brought to justice for killing my brother Isaiah Tucker in cold blood because he said he was in fear for his life when the body cam footage shows a different story.”

The Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett said that Officer Achterberg was justified in using deadly force. Through the mechanism of the proposed Oshkosh Police Accountability Council, UAO hopes to correct this injustice.

#OshkoshWI #AfricanAmerican #Antiracism #Juneteenth #UnitedActionOshkosh

Oshkosh, WI – On May 14 members of United Action Oshkosh (UAO) and supporters assembled in the Opera House Square on Main Street to publicly condemn the mass murder of more than 50 unarmed Palestinians by Israeli Defense Forces, to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinians mission to reclaim their homeland, and to oppose the move of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The large-scale violence comes on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, or “The Catastrophe”, the date to mark when the Palestinians were forcefully expelled from their homeland by the Israelis.

UAO denounced the massacres of Palestinians, by proudly marching down Main Street holding signs that read, “Oppose mass murder, oppose Israel!”, chanting, “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!” and waving a Palestinian flag.

The actions were met by the community with positivity, honks and waves from passing cars, questions from curious passers-by, and even acts of solidarity like raised fists and shouts such as, “The free people of the world will not be silent!”

Oshkosh community member Paul Farmer, a member of a Palestine solidarity group called Team Save Gaza, was happy to see others in the city demonstrating in support of the Palestinian resistance.

“Words cannot really describe the horrors of what is happening in Palestine,” Farmer said. “Gaza is the world's largest open-air concentration camp, with some 2 million people blockaded by air, land and sea for 12 years now.”

Farmer continued, “The people who are lucky have around three hours of electricity a day. Hospitals have run out of many medications. The people are desperate, many suffer from psychological disorders, the effects of the weekly, if not daily bombings, shootings and noise of the drones overhead every night. 80% of Gazans rely on outside help for their basic needs.”

UAO is following up this demonstration with one on Sunday, May 20, which will be a celebration of Palestinian culture that will feature food, music, children's games and speakers. These types of events are all a part of UAO's goal to foster unity among the working class and the oppressed nationality people within the city.

#OshkoshWI #Palestine #UnitedActionOshkosh #MiddleEast

Oshkosh, WI – Members of United Action Oshkosh (UAO) and the community assembled on a sunny afternoon, May 6 to celebrate International Workers Day. The gathering not only served to commemorate this important international holiday in solidarity of workers across the globe, but was also a show of support for the strikes by teachers currently taking place throughout the U.S.

Held in downtown Oshkosh, the May Day event kicked off with a march down Main Street. Demonstrators proudly chanted and held signs which highlighted several key issues, among which were: achieving a fair living wage for all, increasing access to resources for educators and students, and standing up collectively to fight against the forces that deprive basic rights to workers everywhere.

“Today we proudly marched in solidarity for the working class,” said Hollie Poupart, an early childhood educator at a local pre-K school. “We made our voices heard in honor of all who organized and still continue to organize around the country and worldwide.”

The momentum of the march continued as participants convened in the Opera House Square for several speakers while appreciation and support came from passersby. Ryan Hamann, a member of UAO, began with remarks about the history of International Workers Day and the need to remember its origins.

Others spoke about the need to support organized labor and on how it is through unions that the working class can win benefits, better working conditions and higher pay.

“The significance of a union is to be able to negotiate fair wages and benefits. Employees are able to organize safe work conditions and also sick pay,” UPS Teamster union steward Jeremy Bradley said. “Without a union you have next to no job security and could get fired for just speaking out against management.”

The celebration ended with a showing of the film Occupation, which illustrated the sit-in at Harvard University in 2001 orchestrated by students. The purpose of their action was to achieve a living wage for vastly underpaid workers, ranging from custodial to culinary staff. What led to the success of the campaign was the determination of the students and solidarity between the students, campus workers, faculty, as well as with organized labor. The short discussion that followed the film noted the importance of continued and persistent action to achieve such notable change here in Oshkosh.

The May Day march is one of several events to be hosted by United Action Oshkosh in the coming months. Moving forward, the group plans to end the month with a community solidarity event to celebrate Palestinian culture and history. Additionally, efforts by UAO in its campaign for Oshkosh to become a sanctuary city will continue with the date for the second sanctuary city workshop set for June 2.

#OshkoshWI #UnitedActionOshkosh

At the Oshkosh Public Library, UAO and others from the community gathered to hear and discuss information about sanctuary cities. The presentation addressed myths and facts about sanctuary cities, benefits to the community, the reasons behind undocumented immigration, and the efforts in the campaign by United Action Oshkosh.

Discussion between attendees took place on many different topics, including local immigrant issues. Two of the attendees were members of the Chicano community, who spoke about their experience. They shared their own struggles with filing and paying taxes without receiving any benefits as well as the exploitative hiring and labor practices of restaurants, hospitals and staffing agencies they have witnessed in Oshkosh and the surrounding area.

“It was excellent to hear from members of the community familiar with and affected by U.S. immigration policy,” UAO member Alvin Jarvenpaa, Jr. said after the discussion. “It’s inspiring to know people can overcome hardships and gives hope that if given a fair opportunity they can do amazing things. It emphasizes why a sanctuary city is something worth fighting for.”

With the success of their first sanctuary city workshop, UAO plans to hold monthly workshops, continuing to invite the community to learn of the resolution proposal. United Action Oshkosh also intends to celebrate May Day next month, which is set to highlight the current strikes across the nation by teachers as well as to show solidarity for workers worldwide.

#OshkoshWI #SanctuaryCity #UnitedActionOshkosh

The Oshkosh protest comes after the coordinated attacks in Syria on Friday evening, carried out by the U.S. and its French and British allies. At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council today, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley further proved that U.S. attacks against Syria are not based in evidence or facts. The U.S. continues to try to dominate the Middle East.

Activists gathered at the Oshkosh Sun Dial in Opera House Square. Against the winds and sleet, they held signs and conducted chants that condemned the U.S. actions in Syria and the militarist nature of the government. “Hands off Syria!” could be heard throughout the square.

“I feel that what we achieved today was very important, even though it was a small group of us,” said UAO member Alicia Spietz. “We must not turn a blind eye to the horrific actions that took place last night. Demonstrations, like the one today, are absolutely vital in the fight for peace on any level.”

There is absolutely no evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. United Action Oshkosh opposes the attacks on Syria and calls for an end to violence against the Syrian people.

In the next month, UAO will hold a workshop on their campaign to make Oshkosh a sanctuary city, inviting the community to learn more about sanctuary cities and immigrants, at the Oshkosh Public Library on April 21. UAO hopes to draw support for their campaign while educating the public on how Oshkosh can benefit from the resolution. On April 28, a May Day rally and march will be held to show solidarity for the striking teachers across the nation and for workers throughout the world.

#OshkoshWI #AntiwarMovement #Syria #UnitedActionOshkosh

Oshkosh, WI – On Feb. 24, a group of over 40 people gathered at the Opera House Square in downtown Oshkosh for a demonstration and march in support of DACA and immigrants who are under constant attack by the reactionary policies of the federal government.

The event, organized by United Action Oshkosh, served as an opportunity to promote a message of solidarity to the immigrant community within the city and the surrounding area, as well as to announce UAO's initial campaign to get Oshkosh to become a sanctuary city. This entails non-cooperation by the local administration and law enforcement with federal immigration agencies like ICE. ICE policies dismantle families and spread terror among oppressed communities.

The conclusion of the event came after a brief march from the square to the Winnebago County Courthouse. During the march, UAO organizers led chants such as, “From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go,” “No ban, no wall, sanctuary for all,” “Donald Trump, let's be clear, immigrants are welcome here.”

Participants gathered around the front steps of the courthouse to listen to speeches and comments from those who had something to say.

A representative from the Student Organization of Latinos at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh gave a brief statement of solidarity with everyone there and with the organizers in UAO for hosting the event.

UAO standing committee member Ryan Hamann gave a brief speech on the purpose of the rally and march, attacked the politicians in Washington for their stance on DACA and immigrants in general, and closed with the announcement of UAO's demand that Oshkosh become a sanctuary city. The campaign announcement was met with cheers and applause from the crowd.

UAO is set to host another demonstration in response to the Trump regime's decision on DACA on March 5.

#OshkoshWI #sanctuaryCampus #UnitedActionOshkosh