Wisconsin governor activates National Guard after violence

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By SCOTT BAUER and TODD RICHMOND

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s governor activated the National Guard on Wednesday to protect state properties after a night of violence that included the toppling of two statues outside the state Capitol, one of which commemorated an abolitionist Civil War hero.

Protesters also attacked a state senator, threw a Molotov cocktail into a government building and attempted to break into the Capitol Tuesday night, only to be repelled by pepper spray from police stationed inside. The violence broke out as a group of 200 to 300 people protested the arrest of a Black man who shouted at restaurant customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat.

Gov. Tony Evers, who toured the damage and said the violence was in “stark contrast” to earlier peaceful protests, said he was activating the National Guard “to make sure people can exercise their First Amendment rights while ensuring the safety of members of the public and state buildings and infrastructure.”

“If your goal was to advance social justice and policing reforms in the state of Wisconsin and making sure systemic racism is a thing of the past, you failed,” Evers said of the protesters on WTMJ-AM.



Wisconsin's "Forward" statue lies in the street on Capitol Square in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Crowds outside the Wisconsin State Capitol tore down two statues and attacked a state senator amid protests following the arrest of a Black man who shouted at restaurant customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat. (Emily Hamer/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/e32097aa4318b3eabf00f785d30c4d26

[The Magistrate]

1. Had To Be Done, Sir

This is not protest, it is not a demonstration, it is bull-shit by people playing at revolution. I hold them in no higher regard than the maggats who came in arms a few weeks back. They are equally stupid, and worse than useless.

[denem]

2. +1

[rockfordfile]

6. I agree

[TomSlick]

7. Concur.

[redstateblues]

3. The guy with the bullhorn and baseball bat

Had no business in a restaurant. What the fuck is wrong with these people.

[dhill926]

4. there is video, right...

let's find out who these assholes are...

[Ellipsis]

5. There are cameras all over the capital square and with facial recognition

These assholes are going to be more than surprised some day soon.

[DallasNE]

8. Were These Outside Agitators?

Sounds kind of like Boogaloo.

[relayerbob]

9. I want to see who these crazies are

I'm all for removal of some statues to museums, but not violence and destruction

[The Magistrate]

11. Here Is The Spokesperson, Sir

https://www.nbc15.com/2020/06/24/this-is-a-revolutionary-fight-demonstrators-issue-demands-the-morning-after-violent-protests-statues-toppled/

The morning after day-long protests turned violent, ending in property damage, two landmark statues being toppled, and an alleged attack on a state senator, a spokesperson who said she represented “a united front of organizers and activists for black liberation” issued a series of demands.

The spokesperson, Ebony Anderson-Carter, said she was speaking on behalf of multiple groups. In her statement, she said they were demanding the release of the man whose arrest Tuesday afternoon triggered the protests. The groups also demanded a Madison Police Department officer be fired and that the department itself be defunded and the money be “reallocated to the community.”

Anderson-Carter went on to describe the groups’ efforts as “a revolutionary fight” for human rights on behalf of all oppressed people.
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“Please don’t take the actions out here as violence. Please don’t take that actions out here as misconstrued either,” she urged. “Take these actions as voices.”

Anderson-Carter concluded by saying the groups were asking for a dialogue.

[oasis]

10. Idiotic jerks. Lock them up. nt