Madison, WI – On September 16, the anti-abortion group Missionaries to the Preborn set up on Madison’s Library Mall, harassing students as they passed by. By 2:30 p.m., a group of students gathered in opposition. Bradley Keenan of Madison Students for a Democratic Society led chants with the student body to drown them out. A band had also joined, drowning out the group’s speakers.

Frustrated at student opposition, the group's speeches devolved into baseless arguments with students, claiming that evolution and abortion are “what Hitler believed in.” Students did not back down, instead they voiced that anti-science claims have no place on campus. As students continued to protest, members of the anti-abortion group became increasingly agitated until they attacked a student, ripping his shirt off. At that point, members of the crowd stepped in and separated the agitator.

Twenty-four hours later, the Missionaries to the Preborn arrived in Milwaukee on the UW-Milwaukee campus. Near 1 p.m., the agitators started to assemble around Spaights Plaza with signs of bloody, fake fetuses and began to try and agitate the student population passing by, which grew a crowd. Members of the Student for a Democratic Society at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee responded to the scene, and began to drown out the agitators, led by SDS member Alejandro Acosta, by chanting, “Our bodies, our lives, our right to decide.”

Other members of SDS Milwaukee, Hannah Grotto and Lauren Sroka, discussed with students who passed by about the frustrations of dealing with a group that was clearly harassing students as they walked through campus. Grotto stated, “I am extremely disappointed with the university allowing an anti-abortion group onto campus utilizing such graphic imagery. She added, “More needs to be done to protect students from these outside groups, especially if they were violent at other schools in the UW System, we need to hold these agitators accountable.”

This impromptu rally was the first for UWM-SDS to have this fall semester as it continues to create a safe and progressive space on campus for all students.

As Trump’s policies against the education system continually turn college campuses into a battleground for student rights, it is also a call to action for all students on UWM’s campus to call for its administration to end its complicity with Trump’s anti-education, anti-student and anti-reproductive rights policies.

#MadisonWI #WI #StudentMovement #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, September 20, members of the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee gathered at the Mitchell Street Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library to watch a webinar featuring activists who took part in the Jaju Solidarity Brigade to South Korea, put on by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).

The webinar comes at a crucial time, as the United States continues to ramp up its aggression in the Asia Pacific, aimed at limiting the influence of China. The U.S. has at least 80 military bases in South Korea and has been partnering in military-joint exercise since the Korean War.

The Jaju Solidarity Brigade was made up of 21 anti-war and anti-imperialist organizations. The Jaju Solidarity Brigade formed after the 2025 People’s Summit for Korea hosted in New York City, where community members, artists and students from around the country gathered to discuss the Korean liberation movement and building international solidarity for a unified Korea.

Sonya Chung, a member of Nodutdol, an anti-imperialist organization fighting to end the division of Korea said, “It’s helpful to understand the Korean war as an attempt to unite the Korean people again, and the U.S. and R.O.K. governments put down the resistance brutally.” She reflected on visiting the Daejeon Massacre Site, the world’s largest grave where an estimated 7,000 political prisoners were executed by R.O.K. soldiers while the U.S. military stood by and watched.

Meredith Aby, a member of the steering committee of AWAN who took part in the Solidarity Brigade stated, “South Korea functions in the Asia-Pacific similarly to the role that Israel plays in the Middle East, in terms of being proxy governments, but also giving the U.S. a place to park all of its weapons.”

The webinar watch party was hosted by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC), a local grassroots anti-war organization affiliated with the national network AWAN.

MAC member Sam Charnon reflected on the webinar, saying “Being an anti-imperialist organization means educating ourselves on the history of Korea and opposing the United States aggression in the Asia Pacific today. We are honored to be a member organization of AWAN that was represented in the Solidarity Brigade.”

Although much of the focus in the U.S. anti-war movement has been on other countries such as Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and Palestine, the U.S. continues to escalate their “pivot to Asia” strategy and continues to be aggressive against China.

Attendees of the webinar watch party left feeling a strong solidarity with Koreans fighting for reunification and against the U.S. war machine.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #International #Korea #AWAN #MAC #Nodutdol

Milwaukee, WI – On September 17, a small yet spirited group of community members gathered for a banner drop to mark 200 days of war on Iran.

Organized by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC), this banner drop was in response to the National Week of Action by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN), with more than 15 protests coordinated across the country. The AWAN demands include an end to the war on Iran, an end to U.S. aid to Israel, and an investment in human needs, not war.

The Milwaukee action was strategically held on the Locust Street overpass during peak rush hour with the banner reading, “U.S. & Israel: Hands off Iran!” Despite the gloomy weather, it did not stop the banner drop attendees from proudly raising the banner for all to see, and the message was well received. As cars, trucks, and motorcycles drove underneath the overpass, they offered honks of support.

In addition to the banner drop, MAC members were ready to chat with passersby to learn more about what issues they see in their neighborhoods and where they'd rather see their federal tax dollars be invested in instead of the war on Iran. These conversations tie into MAC's ongoing campaign to shut down the Wisconsin Defense Industry Council, which aims to increase Wisconsin's capacity for war manufacturing via Department of Defense contract awards.

Sam Charnon, of the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, stated, “In the past 200 days, the U.S. has targeted civilian areas with multiple airstrikes, including a girls' primary school, a sports complex, and a residential area. The result is more than 178 civilian deaths, including women and children. We demand that our tax dollars do not contribute to the ongoing war, but rather invest in social services here in Milwaukee.”

Charnon added, “Here in Milwaukee, we're also feeling the effects of the war, with affordability being a huge issue. Gas prices have now soared to nearly $4.50 per gallon, along with grocery and rent increases, while we're also experiencing stagnating wages and service cuts to public transportation. We demand that our tax dollars are invested in social services, education and healthcare, not for occupation and war.”

This energetic banner drop sends a clear message to the Trump administration: the people of Milwaukee will continue to fight until the U.S. is out of Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and the entire Middle East.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine #AWAN

Madison, WI – Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison gathered in Library Mall, September 16, for the first protest for a sanctuary campus of the semester. Madison Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led the protest, joined by the Black Power Coalition (BPC), United Faculty & Academic Staff, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The event began with a call for students to fight back against ICE and Trump's reactionary policies. Like many cities across the U.S., Madison has seen an uptick in ICE activity. On the day of the rally, federal agents were reported in South Madison, further cementing the need for sanctuary policies.

Lizbeth De Jesus of Madison SDS talked about Trump’s attempts to end the “Duration of Status” rule for student visas. This xenophobic change would put international students, who make up 14% of Madison’s student body, at dire risk.

De Jesus told the crowd, “We need real policies put in place that defend students, staff, and faculty. We need our university to actually stand up and fight back against the backward Trump regime.”

De Jesus concluded, “When we dare to struggle, we dare to win! And we won’t stop fighting until we get what we deserve: a safer campus for every student.”

Evan Epps of the Black Power Coalition stated, “The same systems that over-police Black bodies are the same systems driving immigration raids, separations and terror in our communities.” Evan then turned his speech towards the university itself, “You cannot claim to build an inclusive campus, while allowing state officers to terrorize students on their way to class. Silence from University leadership is not neutrality, it is complicity.”

The rally was the first of many protests this semester as SDS continues its fight for a sanctuary campus.

Now, more than ever, the importance of uniting against Trump is on clear display. Now is not the time for neutrality. SDS and the UW community call on our university administration to take a firm stance against Trump!

#MadisonWI #WI #StudentMovement #SDS

Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, August 24, Reproductive Justice Action- Milwaukee (RJAM) hosted a banner drop and rally outside of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa to demand restoration of gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The event organizers created a 25-foot banner of the trans flag sporting the slogan “Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin: Restore care now. Trans kids deserve to live.” 

The banner drop and rally got the attention of the Children's security team, but the protesters didn’t back down. RJAM member Grae Felion shared, “We are here today because every young person deserves safety, dignity and the freedom to be who they are.” 

In January, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin stopped offering gender-affirming care that was in the form of puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy. “Children’s leadership decided to comply in advance to an unlawful threat made by the Trump administration. Instead of protecting trans youth, they abandoned them,” stated Felion at the rally after the banner drop. 

Out of fear of funding cuts, the leadership of Children’s Hospital preemptively changed its services to align with an unlawful threat made by the Trump administration. This threat was later ruled unlawful by both state and federal judges. Despite this, for the past eight months, Children’s has refused to make any changes. 

Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee has been leading protests demanding the reintroduction of pharmacological gender-affirming care for all patients. 

On August 1, members of RJAM hand delivered 1028 petition signatures and statements directly to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin leadership. RJAM founding member Kate Buschmann stated, “Many of those signatures came with comments written by healthcare providers and families of trans youth sharing personal stories about the harm Children’s is causing trans youth. My name is among those comments.”

Buschmann continued, “My ten-year-old began exploring their gender identity and asked that they use he/they pronouns. Since choosing to go by he/they pronouns, my ten-year-old feels they have been living a more authentic life. A life that, as a mom, I know will enable them to grow into a young adult with dignity and positive self-image.”

Buschmann concluded, “I am giving this speech today to say whether it directly affects you or not, you should care about the future of the children of the state of Wisconsin. They should not be the ones left to suffer because the leadership of Children’s Hospital has decided to cave to pressure stemming from the Trump administration. I encourage you to take action: sign our petition, stop to chat with anyone in RJAM, learn more about this campaign.” 

Attendees also heard from Wisconsin State Representative Ryan Clancy, an advocate for the LGBTQ community and co-founder of the Trans Parent and Nonbinary Advocacy Caucus. Clancy opened his speech by pointing out a rainbow that had peeked out of the clouds during the rally, saying, “Thank you rainbow for showing up here too! All sorts of folks are on the right side of this.” 

Clancy shared his experience as a parent of both cisgender and transgender children. After sharing a story about the life-saving care his middle, cisgender child received at Children’s Hospital, Clancy said, “It is extremely beyond frustrating that Children’s is not providing the same care that they did for my cis child as to my trans kids any longer.” 

Clancy continued, “I hope that Children’s leadership will take a lesson from their amazing staff. All we are asking is to do no harm, go back to the excellent level of care you were providing years ago. Do the right thing, restore gender-affirming care, and do it now. Because right now you are doing harm, and not the Trump administration. It's on you, and you can fix this.” 

Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee continues to fight for safe and sustainable communities for all, demanding the reintroduction of lifesaving, gender-affirming care for all patients of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, because our trans youth deserve better.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #LGBTQ #GenderAffirmingCare #TransRights #Healthcare

Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, August 17, members of Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee hand-delivered over 1000 petition signatures to the CEO of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Gil Peri. The petition specifically calls on Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, or CHW, to resume medication-based care for patients seeking gender-affirming treatment.

The petition, which is still active and taking signatures, collected over 1028 signatures in under a two-month period. The signatures were accompanied by comments from patients, parents, healthcare workers and other community members. One signer, who identified themselves as LGBTQ and a healthcare provider in Milwaukee, wrote, “As a trans person and healthcare provider in Milwaukee, I add my voice to this demand. This is not a time to break trust, but a time to build trust in your providers, your patients, your families, and the advocates who support and stand with you.”

Another signer described the barriers their family encountered while trying to obtain care through Children’s, “My own child has been denied GAC from Children’s. Children’s would say otherwise, but the hoops they make people jump through are very much a problem. We did everything they asked, for over two years, and then we had an appointment that we thought was to get started on hormones, and were told we had to start over from the beginning because of how long it had been.”

The parent’s account shows how long delays and repeated requirements can amount to a denial of care in practice. 

RJAM said it stands with more than 65 Wisconsin organizations, faith communities and businesses that signed a coalition letter organized by Fair Wisconsin in May. In addition to the 1028 signatures delivered by RJAM, a separate petition directed at both UW Health and Children’s has collected more than 500 signatures.

Video of RJAM members delivering the petitions to Peri and the CHW offices was posted to the organization’s Instagram account, @reproductivejusticeaction.

RJAM said it had not received a response from Peri or CHW leadership, despite repeated attempts to obtain comment.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #LGBTQ #Healthcare #RJAM

Madison, WI – On another hot day in Madison, July 28, at the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets, six days after the murder of Corey Ruiz by the Madison Police Department, Madisonians continue to occupy the streets.

Many people return time and time again to visit the memorial, now dressed with flowers, candles and pictures of victims of police crimes. There is also a continuous stream of new faces, as individuals and organizations travel from around the country to visit, pay their respects, and help to organize on the ground.

On this day, the spirits were high and the people were looking forward, seeking to create a lasting monument to resistance and the pursuit of justice. To the north of the memorial, in front of the closed Crystal Corner Bar, above which the marquee reads “Corey Ruiz,” Freedom Inc. has set up a tent to carry out a four-day educational series where they will discuss in detail their demands to get justice for Corey and create change in Madison.

On this first day of sessions, led by Freedom Inc., the immediate task was to write postcards laying out the demands to be delivered to city officials, including Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who has presided over several police murders in his tenure and continuously refused to press charges despite consistent community backlash.

The demands are as follows: Arrest the killer cop (Kiel Baitinger-Peterson); defund the police; hand over all evidence to independent monitor so that OIPM (Office of the Independent Police Monitor) can do an investigation; strengthen the PCO (Police Civilian Oversight) Board, and community control over police.

These demands have been crafted by Freedom Inc. in coordination with the family of Corey Ruiz. After 26 years of struggle, first against racial profiling and gender inequality in Madison’s Southeast Asian community, and their shift in 2003 to do the same for the Black and LGBTQ peoples, Freedom Inc. along with their many partners are well-equipped to weather the battles ahead and achieve justice.

#MadisonWI #WI #InjusticeSystem #CoreyRuiz

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, July 26, the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) held a protest near the Milwaukee lakefront against the Milwaukee Air & Water Show. Every year, the Air & Water Show trots out the same models of U.S. Air Force planes used to carry out the U.S.’s illegal and unpopular wars. Though marketed as a “family-friendly” event, it is filled with military propaganda. Military recruiter booths line the grounds each year as fighter jets tear through the sky.

This was MAC’s fourth time protesting the Air & Water Show, but the first iteration of the “Peace Parade,” featuring handmade puppets of U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden.

Over 30 attendees gathered at the North Point Water Tower at noon as the Air & Water Show was set to begin. A big banner reading “War is not family friendly! U.S. military out of Milwaukee!” was unfurled, while other people in the crowd held signs reading “I won’t glorify war” and “No war on Iran.” They flew Venezuelan, Palestinian, and other flags of nations targeted by the U.S. war machine. The puppets of Trump and Biden featured prominently, with large heads and hands dripping with blood.

The protesters walked along the sidewalk, chanting “Air Show, Air Show, you can’t hide, you’re promoting genocide!” as they followed the busy street of North Avenue, where many cars passed by and honked their support.

MAC member Sara Kraco told the crowd, “How many of us are drowning in student debt? Medical debt? How many of us had to decide between groceries and medicine? How dare our government charge us so much for life-saving medications such as inhalers or insulin, and turn around and burn up our tax dollars by flying these warplanes around us?” Kraco said, the crowd yelling “Shame!” in response.

Kraco continued, “We forget too, as we sit here comfortably on the lakefront in awe of the maneuvers and speed, that they’re just that, warplanes. Used in countries worldwide such as Iraq, Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine, and now Iran. These planes regularly deploy drone strikes and drop bombs on civilians, always under the guise of fighting terror – but we know the United States military is the real terrorist. Regularly committing war crimes as hospitals, schools, universities, water systems, bridges, public transportation, power plants and homes are indiscriminately targeted. Beautiful ecosystems, cultures older than ours, destroyed without care.”

The people in Milwaukee and elsewhere around the world are linked, and so long as the people do not see peace, the Air & Water Show will not either.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles

Milwaukee, WI – As part of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s National Week of Action for Corey Ruiz, the Milwaukee Alliance held a vigil, July 26, in conjunction with Freedom Inc.’s vigil in Madison.

Milwaukee’s vigil gathered families and community members in order to raise the names of multiple victims of police crimes, alongside Corey Ruiz. Ruiz’s execution has been deeply felt by the people of Milwaukee, who are no strangers to police violence and building movements around such cases.

One of the families present was that of Jay Anderson Jr., who was killed by Wauwatosa police Their struggle for justice has been a long one, and along their path to justice, the Andersons have helped out many other families in Milwaukee. Linda Anderson, mother of Jay Anderson Jr., stated, “This happened in broad daylight, and it’s unbelievable how they can do this and think they can get away with this. We are people. We love our kids. It changes our whole lives.”

Angelique Sharpe, sister of Sam Sharpe Jr. (killed in 2024) and education chair of the Milwaukee Alliance stated, “Most of us are taught from an early age that no one is above the law. We are expected to follow the rules, accept responsibility for our actions, and face consequences when we make mistakes. This should apply to all of us, regardless of our title, profession, neighborhood or position of power. If Corey Ruiz’s murderer is not jailed after executing him in broad daylight, what message does that send? What does that say about any ‘fairness’ in law and its application?”

Speaking to this unequal treatment, Chamar Clay raised her friend’s name, Major Artis, and stated that “If one of us go do what they did to Corey, I’d be sitting in jail right now. So he [the officer] needs to take accountability, and they need to put him in jail today!”

The crowd concluded the event by placing flowers for Corey Ruiz on the Sit with Sam Bench, a bench that commemorates Sam Sharpe Jr. in the area where his life was stolen by Columbus PD officers during the Republican National Convention in 2024.

While there was a general sense of grief at the vigil, there was also a lot of hope in the movement to hold the police accountable. Milwaukee has a lot of fighting families and has a lengthy history of movements behind these families. They are raising the demands of justice for their own loved ones, but they also raise the following demands coming from Madison: arrest the killer cop; strengthen the Police Civilian Oversight Board, and community control of the police.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #MAARPR #NAARPR

Madison, WI – On July 25, the fourth evening since the murder of Corey Ruiz in Madison, Wisconsin, people from across the city gather again to mourn and demand justice.

As they awaited a larger crowd marching from the site of the execution, dozens chanted and talked until their arrival. Many spoke, including Jay Gonstead, one of Corey’s unhoused neighbors, who expressed his deep grief at the loss of a friend, emphasizing that this violence is nothing new to Madison’s homeless community. With a $98 million budget, the Madison Police Department is withholding resources that could be used to help people. Instead, they use resources to murder people and destroy the lives of families.

As the crowd marching from the east arrived, a leader from Impact Demand, a youth affiliate of Freedom Inc., described the plan for the evening, shutting down State Street, one of the city’s most active economic centers.

Moments later, hundreds of angry community members left the capitol grounds to occupy the street in front of several of the city’s busiest bars and restaurants. According to organizers, the city of Madison will not return to regular life, be it in collecting tax revenue on alcohol sales during the bustling college town nightlife, or in traversing regular routes to work.

The Williamson/Baldwin intersection will remain occupied, and the people will keep fighting until they have justice for Corey Ruiz’s murder.

#MadisonWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #CoreyRuiz #Feature

Madison, WI – Hundreds gathered, for the third night in a row, July 24, in the spot where the Madison Police Department (MPD) murdered Corey Ruiz. Another police killing took place on this same street 11 years ago, when officer Matt Kenny shot and killed Tony Robinson Jr.

Among the organizations in attendance were Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Madison Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Inc, a group that consistently fights for community control over police.

Miss Jewel of Freedom Inc spoke about the need to keep the fight going, emphasizing that they won’t let up until they have firing and hiring power over the crooked Madison cops. She was met with enthusiastic cheers from a diverse and enraged crowd of community members.

After 30 minutes of rousing speeches from survivors of police crimes and from community organizers, the crowd made its way around rows of barricades and city trucks in the direction of the police precinct, where chants of “Justice for Corey” shook the windows of the sheriff’s office.

After circling the capitol building and turning onto East Washington, one of Madison’s busiest streets, the crowd turned to face the capitol to tell the government exactly what they wanted: jail killer cops. Continuing along the road, they shut down both sides of the street, shouting Ruiz’s name for the entire city to hear.

Hundreds of protesters approached the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin, preparing to continue the people’s occupation indefinitely.

Madison has nearly come to a halt in the past few days. Businesses, both corporate and family-owned, are shutting their doors. Streets have been closed indefinitely. Farmers markets, public markets, festivals and more have been canceled. Bars have canceled concerts or redirected funds to the family of Corey Ruiz. All has been in pursuit of holding the murderer cop to account.

Although a homicide investigation into killer Kiel has been opened, justice still hasn’t been delivered. The spirit of resistance in Madison is alive. Without justice, there will be no peace. Without justice, these killer cops will get no sleep. Justice for Corey Ruiz. Justice for Tony Robinson. Community control of the police now!

#MadisonWI #WI #InjusticeSystem #CoreyRuiz #KillerCop #Feature

Madison, WI – Three days after the brutal July 22 murder of Corey Ruiz by the Madison Police Department, the city continues to mourn. At the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin, protesters are still occupying the street. Hundreds of candles and flowers cover the ground where his life was stolen. All four roads are blocked by barricades and city trucks. The sentiment is firm that they will not leave until justice is achieved.

As the sun beats down on the concrete, in rolls a large statue of a raised fist, which formerly occupied George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. Constructed and delivered by a collective of independent artists, the statue was delivered as a symbol of solidarity and resistance to police violence.

#MadisonWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #CoreyRuiz

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

On Wednesday, July 22nd, a Madison Police Officer murdered Cory Ruiz, with an officer firing three rounds into him while he lay down, unable to fight back. The people of Madison are already protesting, fed up with unjust police killings justified with press conferences and proclamations. They know what happens if we sit back and do nothing. The police and their supporters will offer empty promises of investigation and accountability. They will place a few officers on administrative leave and transfer them to different departments. They will say they did their best. They will attempt to wait for the story to leave the limelight, to fade from the public narrative.

The people in the streets of Madison – and the Alliance- refuse to accept that. We won’t wait for empty answers. We won’t sit back quietly while they try to force us to passively support a system that lets cops kill adults, teenagers, children, and even infants through their negligence and aggression. We will agitate and organize and fight until we make the death of Ruiz impossible to ignore. NAARPR branches across the country should mobilize and protest in solidarity and for all victims of police crimes in their cities.

We know exactly what this is: A modern lynching justified with the language of law and order. It's time to hit the streets and demand an end to police terror!

Justice for Corey Ruiz!

Community Control of the Police Now!

End the War on Black People!

Indict and Convict the Killer Cops!

#InjusticeSystem #NAARPR #CoreyRuiz #MadisonWI #WI

Milwaukee, WI – On July 13, dozens of community members and organizers mobilized to the intersection of 35th and Vliet Streets on Milwaukee’s North Side. This corner was the site of a deadly crash in September 2025 in which a reckless police pursuit killed three residents, the youngest victim being just 15 years old. Almost a year later, a spirited fight for community-led policy has only grown and hopes to win big as it soon goes to vote by city alderpeople.

The evening started with chants and remarks from Brian Verdin, a leader of the original Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR). Setting the tone, he named the nine lives stolen by police pursuits, including Pler Moo and her sons Taw and Karlah Ko, killed at that intersection ten months ago.

Veteran MAARPR member Tiffany Stark said, “I want to have a safe police pursuit policy that has restrictions, where we're not chasing people for minor things, only for violent crime.” Stark recently lost a loved one due to causes related to these police pursuits and has been a key player in pushing for policy changes around this: Standard Operating Procedures 575 and 660.

Shortly after, members of Milwaukee Turners and Black Leaders Organizing Communities made brief comments, all stating the necessity for changes around this policy and accountability from the Milwaukee Police Department. Kayla Patterson, co-chair of MAARPR, then closed out the evening with some more chants.

The city of Milwaukee Common Council will be discussing further changes to SOP 575 and 660 on July 30. MAARPR and other community organizations will continue to apply pressure to the alderpeople to vote in favor of the recommended changes pushed by the community.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #MAARPR #PoliceCrimes

Milwaukee, WI – Over the July 4 weekend, residents of Milwaukee held a banner drop and a social to commemorate 250 years of resistance by people fighting for freedom and liberation from oppression. The events were organized by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) and supported by other community organizations.

The weekend’s events were in response to the National Day of Action called by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN). As the Trump administration celebrates 250 years since the founding of the U.S., people are fighting against Trump’s ICE detention and deportation, against unjust wars and genocide funded by their tax dollars, and for basic rights such as healthcare, education and a living wage.

The banner drop, on the night of July 3, was strategically held at Brady Street Bridge just as a drone show was beginning.

As the drone show celebrated corporations and the U.S. military, MAC, joined by community members and CODEPINK Milwaukee, flew banners reading, “Money for human needs,” “Stop the U.S. war machine!” and “U.S. & Israel: Hands off Iran & Lebanon!” Passersby in cars honked and shouted “Free Palestine!” while people on foot stopped to offer support and thank the organizers for putting the message out.

The second event was held on July 4, a social event to mark People’s Independence Day. Students for a Democratic Society University of Milwaukee (SDS) and Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) co-sponsored MAC’s event, joining community members who came to celebrate People’s Independence. Around 20 people came to share food and listen to speeches about the history of people’s resistance, which countered lies about this country’s history.

Hayley Angel, one of MAC’s co-chairs said, “What is worth celebrating today is the fact that for every oppression that people have endured at the hands of the U.S. government, both domestic and international, they have resisted. We reject militaristic displays, and instead uplift the struggle of the people. We know we have so much more in common with people all over the world resisting the U.S. war machine than we do our government at home!”

“I’ve never seen this country be so unpopular. Locally, we see terror take many forms, like inviting multiple law enforcement agencies into Milwaukee, where one of these ultimately murdered Sam Sharpe Jr, or the police chief going to Israel to explore new ways to over-police Milwaukee, or the Sheriff’s Department lying about collaborating with ICE. Nationally we see my compañera Nadia Topete being subpoenaed down in LA for protesting ICE’s terror. Some of this may sound scary or intimidating. But one thing remains constant: the people are fed up with this country’s constant boot on our neck and we’re not afraid to fight back against the powers that be and we’re eager to take what’s rightfully ours!” said Diego Garcia, a co-chair of MAARPR.

The People’s Independence Day event also featured a potluck, lawn games and a piñata of Donald Trump.

Attendees of the two events in Milwaukee are not fooled by the false claim of independence and freedom as touted by the Trump administration. They used the weekend to protest, to come together, and to pledge to continue the fight for as long as it takes to truly win freedom for the people.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #July4th #AWAN

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, June 27 Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee (RJAM) commemorated four years of resistance after the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. Community members gathered for a rally, march and vigil to honor the ongoing resistance and mourn the lives lost due to abortion bans.

The event began with crafts, thank-you card writing for abortion providers, and tabling by various community organizations fighting for safe and sustainable communities. Representatives from Pro-Choice MKE, Milwaukee Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and ACLU of Wisconsin spoke to attendees about some of the issues that continue to face the reproductive justice movement in Milwaukee and beyond.

Some of the issues highlighted were the need for clinic escorts, safe access to abortion providers, and the fight for liberation of women and LGBTQ folks through a working class revolution. Andrea Waters from Freedom Road Socialist Organization shared, “We must fight for the liberation of women and LGBTQ people. This includes abortion access. This includes fair wages. This includes childcare for working parents.”

To close the event, organizers and community members marched on city hall for a vigil to honor the lives lost due to abortion bans. These deaths were not inevitable, but the result of politicians choosing ideology over evidence-based healthcare.

The vigil honored the following lives that were taken: Josseli Barnica, 28, Texas. Yeniifer Alvarez-Estrada Glick, 27, Texas. Amber Nicole Thurman, 28, Georgia. Candi Miller, 41, Georgia. Porsha Ngumezi, 35, Texas. Nevaeh Crain, 18, Texas. Taysha Wilkinson-Sowbyeski, 26, Indiana. Ciji Graham, 34, North Carolina. Tierra Walker, 37, Texas. Adrianna Smith, 30, Georgia.

Carly Klein, a founding member of Reproductive Justice Action- Milwaukee, stated, “Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee formed four years ago in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, with the support of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.”

Klein continued, “When the Supreme Court stripped us of our bodily autonomy and Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban was immediately reinstated, we knew that voting alone would not win back our rights. We knew it would take direct, sustained, organized action, and that is what we did.” The crowd cheered as she proclaimed, “In September 2023, abortion services resumed in the state of Wisconsin.”

RJAM understands and organizes around the fact that abortion access is not equitable. Carly went on to share. “Across this country, abortion bans have disproportionately harmed Black, brown, indigenous and working-class communities, Here in Wisconsin, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.”

To build safe and sustainable communities for all, we must work together to address these issues and bans.

As Reproductive Justice Action- Milwaukee celebrates their four years of resistance, they continue to fight for the liberation of women and LGBTQ folks by calling for an end to crisis pregnancy centers and the immediate restoration of gender-affirming care at Children’s Wisconsin. No rest while there is no Roe, and no rest until everyone has safe, affordable and equitable access to abortion.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #RJAM

Milwaukee, WI – On Wednesday, July 1, hundreds gathered at Kosciuszko Park to protest the recent spike in ICE activity in the area. Since the end of the previous week, ICE had arrested dozens of people in Wisconsin, with most cases happening in Milwaukee.

ICE agents had been terrorizing the city’s Southside, where many immigrants reside, breaking car windows and kidnapping people from inside their cars. These aggressive tactics quickly led he ICE Out of MKE Coalition to launch broad outreach efforts and Wednesday’s action. The community’s response was clear – we need to educate our people and show strong leadership and unity against ICE’s threats.

Despite the severe heat warning, the crowd gathered to hear brief remarks from community leaders and a family member of one of the people detained by ICE this week.

Galo Suárez detailed how ICE agents followed him, his fiancé (Reyna Elizabth Garcia) and her brother, from a local grocery store as they drove away. Blocks later, five cars detained them, broke a car window, and forcefully removed everyone from the car, insulting and threatening them if they didn’t cooperate. As Suárez relived this terror, he concluded with important messages of unity and the need to do something as a community, stating “We cannot live in peace while masked agents kidnap our people.”

Julie Velazquez, co-chair of the Immigrant Rights Committee of the Milwaukee Area Labor council, and Luz Hernandez, vice-president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, both offered informative messages about what to do when detained by ICE and how to prepare families in case of detention and deportation.

Hernandez, an immigrant herself, provided an additional message of resistance and hope in the community, stating, “They can be here for a week. They can be here for a month. Well, we have one message for them: they cannot intimidate us! We will not give them that satisfaction. This immigrant community and its allies resist these tactics and protect our immigrant siblings.”

The crowd proceeded to march through different areas of the Southside where people had recently been taken by ICE. Passing by a mixture of business strips and residential areas, the crowd grew larger as new participants joined and as volunteers went up to businesses and homes to distribute Know Your Rights flyers. As the crowd passed the last stretch of residential areas along the route, the participants remained silent while Alan Chavoya of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about the rights to people in the neighborhood and explained how to interact with ICE in case of detention.

The action proved that Milwaukee is committed to resisting ICE’s terror. A united and organized community is the best line of defense.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #ImmigrantRights