Green Bay, WI – On June 25, over 50 people gathered on the premises of the Austin Straubel International Airport to protest President Donald Trump, who was recording a town hall inside one of the facilities there. The effort was led by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, but also included Wisconsin Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, Justice for Jonathon Tubby, and Black Lives United – Green Bay (BLU).

Protesters listened to comments from Coalition co-chair Ryan Hamann mixed in with a variety of chants attacking Trump. A theme throughout the event was the demand for justice for victims of police crimes and the slogan “Black lives matter.” Trump made comments about police reform one of the main points for his town hall, so it’s only fitting that the protest highlighted his racism and greenlighting of police crimes.

When the few Trump supporters who appeared for the town hall and Trump’s cronies filed out of the Jet Air building where the recording was taking place, the rally transitioned into a march. Led by Jordyn Cook and Desiree Cooper of BLU, the protesters made their way toward the flight terminal where Air Force One was stationed.

Here the demand for justice for the victims of police crimes was reiterated, with the addition of the call for community control of the police everywhere. Hamann cycled through a list of the recent victims of killer cops across the state of Wisconsin, highlighting that it is an issue that touches every community, big or small, urban or rural. Jonathan Tubby, a member of the Oneida Nation murdered by Green Bay police officer Erik O’Brien in October 2018, was the main focus, but nearly a dozen other names were shared.

But the issue of killer cops goes beyond Donald Trump and the republicans.

“The republicans, led by President Donald Trump, clearly don’t care about this issue, or are active promoters of the ‘thin blue line,’ ‘blue lives matter’ rhetoric. And the solution posed by the democrats? Nicely summed up by presumptive nominee Joe Biden’s comments about shooting people in the leg rather than the heart,” Hamann said. “It’s in primarily democrat-run cities where these cops kill people and get away with it, where these people are allowed to continue policing communities.”

Hamann continued, “The issue of police crimes and protecting killer cops is a bipartisan one. That’s why when we march on the DNC this August, raising the demand for community control of the police and an end to police terror is so essential. Our communities are suffocating under the weight of oppressive police departments and their inflated budgets. We can’t breathe.”

#GreenBayWI #InJusticeSystem #PoliceBrutality #Trump #DonaldTrump #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDemocraticNationalConvention

“Nuestra intención es liderar una manifestación masiva el 13 de julio de 2020, el primer día del CND. Queremos que los demócratas sepan que la gente está enojada por el estado de las cosas y exige un cambio del estatus quo. Esa es la única forma en que venceremos a Donald Trump en 2020,” dice la Coalición.

“Queremos nuestros permisos. Todos los ojos estarán puestos en Milwaukee cuando los movimientos populares estén protestando afuera del Foro Fiserv. Nuestra Coalición exige el fin de las guerras estadounidenses, detener el terror policial en nuestras comunidades y apoyar la legalización de los inmigrantes para que podamos cerrar los campos de concentración de Trump. Queremos Medicare para todos y acción sobre el crisis del clima. El camino a seguir para los trabajadores y los sindicatos es forzar a los ricos para que paguen por lo que necesitamos,” dijo Omar Flores, portavoz de la Marcha sobre el CND.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #PoorPeoplesMovements #StudentMovement #Labor #OppressedNationalities #US #PeoplesStruggles #DNC #Elections #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDemocraticNationalConvention

Milwaukee, WI – The first meeting for the Coalition to March on the DNC took place on the evening of October 11, concluding with a demonstration and rally. The coalition is comprised of many progressive activist groups united around nine demands – or points of unity – that serve as a basis and also a guide to action. Some of these points are “Legalization for all; no more deportations” and “Fight to expand union and worker rights.”

The coalition plans to march during the Democratic National Convention next July. Though a request for a permit to march has been submitted, the coalition is still awaiting a response from the city of Milwaukee. It has been months since the request was made. The coalition is prepared to pressure them on the issue.

The meeting itself was brief. It began at Milwaukee’s City Hall to discuss the points of unity as well as a set of principles designed to keep the coalition cohesive over the coming months. Around 40 activists from a variety of groups across Milwaukee and the broader Wisconsin and Midwest areas were in attendance.

After the meeting, coalition members took to the sidewalks, walking alongside a portion of the proposed route they hope to march in July. There were a number of chants reflecting the points of unity, as well as the frustration over the delayed permits. They chanted “What do we want? Permits! When do we want them? Now!”

The demonstration finished at Dontre Hamilton (or Red Arrow) Park, where several speakers voiced their support of the coalition, as well as their anger with the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party’s actions. Many speakers also touched on the specific conditions of Milwaukee, from the increasing police budget to the lack of urgency to address the city’s lead water pipes.

Ryan Hamann, one of the lead organizers of the Coalition and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, stated, “The purpose of our action here today was to bring our people together and show the city that we mean business.”

“Mayor Barrett and the city of Milwaukee are quick to roll out the red carpet for the rich and powerful while putting up roadblocks for activists here,” Hamann continued. “Milwaukee is our town and we’re going to march whether the city government permits us to or not.”

Though there was a strong turnout of a variety of organizations, the coalition is seeking to grow and expand its outreach within the coming months to encompass more of the people’s movements. The next organizing meeting is set for November 8 at 5 p.m. at the Peace Center in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood.

#MilwaukeeWI #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDemocraticNationalConvention

Milwaukee, WI – An April 4 press conference, to take place at Milwaukee’s City Hall, will announce a major protest at the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

“The Coalition to March on the DNC is excited to announce a rally and march on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, Monday, July 13 at 12 p.m. within sight and sound of the arena,” said Chris Antimo Perez, spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention. “All eyes will be on Milwaukee as the DNC takes place at the Fiserv Forum from July 13-16th, 2020. We call on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist organizations to join us in unity.”

Organizers of the protest have applied for a permit for a rally at Red Arrow Park (Dontre Park) and a march to the Fiserv Forum.

The organizers of this coalition have led mass marches that drew thousands to the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota; the 2012 RNC in Tampa, Florida, and the 2016 RNC in Cleveland, Ohio.

“The Coalition to March on the DNC will be a broad, national coalition of left and progressive forces, working with local Milwaukee groups and activists,” said Perez. He stated they are rallying behind demands including but not limited to: End U.S. Wars and Interventions; Money for Human Needs, Not War; Community Control of the Police; Stop Police Terror; Legalization for All; No More Deportations; Tax the Rich; Medicare for All; Climate Action Now; Fight to Expand Union and Worker Rights, and Demand Peace, Justice and Equality!

#MilwaukeeWI #US #SpecialCoverage #PeoplesStruggles #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #Elections #MarchOnTheDNC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDemocraticNationalConvention