Posted on 12/21/2014 6:14:35 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
“No justice, no peace, no racist police.”
That was one of the chants the crowd of about 50 protesters shouted Saturday outside Madison Memorial High School and in the food court of West Towne Mall. The protesters gathered around 3:30 p.m. and marched from the high school to the mall, shutting down one direction of traffic on Mineral Point Road, and held a “die-in” in the mall food court.
“We are here because there are many injustices in our system,” said Brandi Grayson, one of the organizers of the protest, in the mall food court, over a megaphone.
Grayson is part of the Young Gifted and Black Coalition, which organized the event. The coalition was also involved with the protest that drew about 250 people to downtown Madison last month.
A similar protest and die-in was held last week at UW-Madison.
The Madison protests are among many nationwide responding to grand jury decisions on the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Both Brown and Garner, African-American men, died at the hands of white police officers.
Saturday’s protest was also meant to draw attention to Dane County’s racial disparities, which have been brought to light by recent studies, including last year’s “Race to Equity” report, prepared by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families.
Members of the coalition say they have three demands: reallocating $8 million from the 2014 county budget intended to study jail alternatives, the immediate release of people incarcerated for crimes of poverty, and an end to solitary confinement. The Cap Times recently ran a story on the Dane County jail’s solitary confinement policies, which Sheriff Dave Mahoney called, “inhumane.”
“We live in the worst state in the United States for black men, women, and children to live in, and that, my people, is a problem,” Grayson said to the crowd of protesters on Saturday.
Organizers also intended to draw attention to low-wage jobs and discriminatory hiring practices at the mall. They handed out a list of mall vendors that have UNICOR contracts (contracts to buy products manufactured in prisons), documented low wages and no full-time benefits, and companies with noted discriminatory hiring policies and labor practices.
As the protesters walked through the mall on one of the busiest shopping days of the season, carrying two white banners – each needing about 10 people to support its full length – and protest signs, they drew raised eyebrows and stony faces from some shoppers.
As they chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police” and “We must love and protect one another, we have nothing to lose but our chains,” they got a few rhythmic nods and fist pumps from onlookers, who consistently swelled into crowds around the group. Many were shooting cell phone videos and taking pictures.
“I think it’s pretty smart for them to come to the mall,” said Akayja Retelle, 18, who was sitting in the food court during the protest. “It’s giving people a bigger picture of what’s going on in the world.”
Jack Opel, also watching from the sidelines in the food court as protesters staged their “die-in,” agreed.
“It’s just striking,” he said, commenting on how accepting mall customers were of the protest. “People know this [issue] isn’t just something people made up. It seems authentic.”
Protesters staged their “die-in” by laying on the floor of the food court, blocking many of the vendors, for about 15 minutes.
Grayson said she got a few negative comments from shoppers, and there were surly faces around, but the protest was peaceful.
Police Chief Mike Koval said protesters have been “very transparent in telling us what they hope to do, what they hope to accomplish, in order for us to be able to facilitate their march and their rally.”
Koval said he had about 20 officers present, even though there were only about 50 protesters.
“We’d rather be overprepared than underprepared,” Koval said.
Grayson said the Young Gifted and Black Coalition plans to have a “weekly action,” but there are no definite plans for more protests in Madison.
Me neither. Why do they assume all poor people steal, loot and murder?
There is something seriously screwed up with how liberals see reality.
I agree with you FRiend.
Also, the West towne mall is a great place for da urban youts to rob you of your just purchased items.
I’ve told Mrs Bo to pack the heater with her when she has to make a trip there.
“crimes of poverty?”
I would be pumping my clenched fist at them too. All fingers clenched but the middle one.
Apparently that high school doesn’t assign enough homework.
“We live in the worst state in the United States for black men, women, and children to live in, and that, my people, is a problem,” Grayson said to the crowd of protesters on Saturday. lotta open land in africa, nothing stopping you... go be the kings and queens ya keep telling us you are
Moscow on Mendota - no surprise here.
And NO arrests?
The wussification of the police emboldens the bottom feeders.
and The Stupid spreads
Arrest for tresspassing
Perhaps the police in the area could do a 4 week die-in. Let’s see what happens then.
Just a marxist term to encourage the breakdown of society. They teach the little chuckle heads that people steal b/c the’re poor. In reality people usually steal because they are lazy. Tearing things down is easy. Building things takes real work.
If this helps to dampen the holiday season shopping insanity that grips the nation every year then maybe they’re doing us a favor.
Akayja Retelle.
Fine Scotch-Irish stock, probably. Presbyterian divinity student, likely. Future upstanding pillar of the community for sure./S
anarchists!!
The same thing happened with protesters staging a “die in” in the road near Lenox Square in Atlanta. I think Holder, 0bama and Sharpton are orchestrating this and continuing to fan the flames.
While the state of Wisconsin is not nearly as blue as many people would make it out to be (Scott Walker, one of the most conservative pols in the country is the three-time elected gov.), the Madison area is definitely very liberal...especially Madison. Obama carried Dane count by about 80% in 2008. So the people of the Madison area love King Barack, and this piece of s er this guy Grayson complains about racism.
Dane County.
I might start going to the mall again if I could count on live entertainment like this.
i'd like to see Walker run for pres some day
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