National

In Wisconsin’s Capital City, Police Protests Stay Peaceful

Published

11 years ago

May 14, 2015

Supporters participate in a during a demonstration for Tony Robinson along Williamson Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said Tuesday, May 12, that he wouldn't file charges against Madison Officer Matt Kenny in the March 6 death of Robinson, saying the officer used lawful deadly force after he was staggered by a punch to the head and feared for his life. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Supporters participate in a during a demonstration for Tony Robinson along Williamson Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, May 13, 2015. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Todd Richmond, ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — When a white police officer killed an unarmed biracial teen in Wisconsin’s capital city, the shooting quickly heightened tensions and stirred up protests.

But no one has hurled so much as a pebble, broken anything or thrown any punches in protests since Officer Matt Kenney shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson in March in a home near the Capitol building. The approximately two dozen arrests so far have involved protesters blocking traffic.

Instead, police-community relationships, demographics, traditions and cooler heads helped keep Madison’s streets peaceful — at least so far.

“I think the people in this city are … pretty good about voicing their emotions without running around and tearing things up,” said Andrea Irwin, Robinson’s mother. “I don’t think that’s ever happened in Madison.”

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne raised the ante Tuesday when he announced he would not charge Kenny in Robinson’s death, saying the officer’s actions were justified because Robinson, who was high on hallucinogenic mushrooms, punched Kenny in the head.

The Young, Gifted and Black Coalition, an activist group that has been organizing the protests, led about 200 people on a march through the city’s downtown Wednesday. During a mock trial on the Dane County Courthouse steps, they found Kenny guilty of homicide and then sat in the street before finally dispersing. About two dozen people were taken away in handcuffs after they refused to clear the road, and almost all were released with a $124 misdemeanor fine.

Madison is unlikely to explode like Ferguson, Missouri, or Baltimore, which saw riots break out over police-related killings, said Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University sociology professor who has researched youth culture and violence. Madison doesn’t suffer from high unemployment and other large-scale social problems that can exacerbate civil unrest, Taylor said.

African-Americans make up only about 7 percent of the population in Madison, compared with more than 60 percent in both Ferguson and Baltimore. Police here say they have tried to build trust in the community, meeting with minority leaders and putting officers through diversity training.

Protests have become a regular part of Madison life, too. The city, known as one of the nation’s most liberal, saw tens of thousands of people converge on the state Capitol for three straight weeks in 2011 to rally against Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to strip public workers of their union rights. Passions rode much higher over that issue than in Robinson’s death, and everyone stayed peaceful.

Still, Police Chief Mike Koval began working to avoid what he called Ferguson’s “missteps” in the first hours following the shooting.

Ferguson police initially gave little information about the death of Michael Brown and took a week to identify the officer who shot him. They released video the same day showing what they said was Brown robbing a store.

Koval, in contrast, rushed to Robinson’s mother’s home to offer his condolences hours after the shooting and prayed with his grandmother. He identified Kenny the day after Robinson’s death.

He also volunteered that Kenny had killed a man in the line of duty in 2007 and had been cleared of any wrongdoing. He declined to discuss Robinson’s armed robbery conviction last year, saying commenting on his past would be inappropriate.

Ozanne prefaced his announcement Tuesday with condolences to Robinson’s family. He pointed out that he himself is biracial and is Wisconsin’s first district attorney of color. He also mentioned his mother, who participated in Freedom Summer, the famous 1964 effort to register black voters in Mississippi, and how she still fears for his safety because of his color.

But, he said, he had to base his decision on the facts.

“My decision is not based on emotion,” he said. “This decision is guided by the rule of law.”

A number of community groups mobilized volunteers to monitor Wednesday’s protests and to caution demonstrators against committing any crimes.

“This is the type of partnerships we think we need,” Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said. “We all need to work together to show people a better path.”

The protesters are still seething, though. Alix Shabazz, a Young Gifted and Black leader, told demonstrators on Wednesday not to talk to any officers.

“They are not your friend,” she told the crowd. “There is nothing positive that is going to come from that” interaction, she said.

Reaction to a recent shooting in Detroit has played out much the same way. Demonstrators held protests and marches over the death of 20-year-old Terrance Kellom, a black man shot by a federal agent during a fugitive sweep last month. But the demonstrations have been peaceful so far. Detroit’s black police chief met with Kellom’s family the day of the shooting.

Protest leaders say the peace has nothing to do with police and everything to do with the community members who want to make changes through the political process rather than violence.

“We feel we can use the leverage of political power to make people act, prosecutors and police,” said Ron Scott of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality.

___

Associated Press writers Dana Ferguson and Kia Farhang in Madison and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed to this report.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Her rise has also included several historic firsts: she is the only Black woman ever appointed to lead the influential Assembly Transportation Committee, and the first freshman legislator elected Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has also been a vocal advocate for vulnerable communities, becoming the first California legislator to publicly discuss being the parent of a transgender child — an act of visibility that has helped advanced representation at a time when political tensions related to social issues and culture have intensified.

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Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.

She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties.

California Black Media spoke with Wilson about her successes and disappointments this year and her outlook for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Getting SB 237 passed in the Assembly. I had the opportunity to co-lead a diverse workgroup of colleagues, spanning a wide range of ideological perspectives on environmental issues.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

The Black Caucus concentrated on the Road to Repair package and prioritized passing a crucial bill that remained incomplete during my time as chair, which establishes a process for identifying descendants of enslaved people for benefit eligibility.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The lack of progress made on getting Prop 4 funds allocated to socially disadvantaged farmers. This delay has real consequences. These farmers have been waiting for essential support that was promised. Watching the process stall, despite the clear need and clear intent of the voters, has been deeply frustrating and reinforces how much work remains to make our systems more responsive and equitable.

What inspired you the most this year?

The resilience of Californians persists despite the unprecedented attacks from the federal government. Watching people stay engaged, hopeful, and determined reminded me why this work matters and why we must continue to protect the rights of every community in our state.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

As a legislator, I have the authority to demand answers to my questions — and accept nothing less. That clarity has strengthened my approach to oversight and accountability.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?

Affordability and access to quality educational opportunities.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Advance my legislative agenda despite a complex budget environment. The needs across our communities are real, and even in a tight fiscal year, I’m committed to moving forward policies that strengthen safety, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life for the people I represent.

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Champion of Reparations, Housing and Workers’ Rights

In 2025, McKinnor pushed forward legislation on renters’ protections, re-entry programs, reparations legislation, and efforts to support Inglewood Unified School District. She spoke with California Black Media about the past year and her work. Here are her responses.

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Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). File photo.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents

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As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC),

McKinnor was elected in 2022. She chairs the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation and leads the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. McKinnor also served as a civic engagement director, managed political campaigns, and worked as chief of staff for former Assemblymembers Steven Bradford and Autumn Burke.

Looking back on 2025, what do you see as your biggest win?

Assembly Bill (AB) 628. If rent is $3,000, people should at least have a stove and a refrigerator. It’s ridiculous that people were renting without basic appliances.

I’m also proud that I was able to secure $8.4 million in the state budget for people coming home from incarceration. That includes the Homecoming Project, the menopause program for incarcerated women, and the Justice Leaders Program.

How did your leadership help make life better for Black Californians this year?

After the Eaton Fire, I pushed to get the same kind of support for affected areas that wealthier regions get after disasters.

I also did a lot of work building political power— establishing the Black Legacy PAC and California for All of Us PAC so we could support Black candidates and educate voters. We also called voters to make sure they understood Prop 50.

People need to understand this: there are only 12 Black legislators in the Capitol. Folks act like we can just walk in and pass reparations, but that’s not how it works.

What frustrated you most this year?

The governor did not have the political will to sign these bills: AB 57 and AB 62. They both passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly and the Senate. We did the work. The only person who didn’t have the political will to sign them was the governor.

The public needs to ask the governor why he didn’t sign the bills. We can’t keep letting people off the hook. He has to answer.

I also introduced AB 51 — the bill to eliminate interest payments on Inglewood Unified School District’s long-standing state loan — held in the Appropriations Committee. That was frustrating,

What inspired you most in 2025?

The civil rights trip to Alabama was life changing. We visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We took members of the Black, Latino, Jewish, and API caucuses with us. It changed all of us.

People aren’t always against us — they just don’t know our history.

What’s one lesson from 2025 that will shape how you approach decisions next year?

The legislative trip to Norway taught me that collaboration matters. Government, labor, and industry sit down together there. They don’t make villains. Everybody doesn’t get everything they want, but they solve problems.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Black Californians in one word?

Inequity. It shows up in housing, wealth, stress – all these things.

What’s the number one goal you want to accomplish in 2026?

Bringing back AB 57 and AB 62, and securing money for the Inglewood Unified loan interest forgiveness.