Protest updates: Tense moments aside, eighth day of Milwaukee protests is peaceful
Journal Sentinel reporters are reporting on events and protests in Milwaukee and around Wisconsin related to the death of George Floyd and other instances of police brutality.
We'll be updating this story throughout the day.
1 a.m.: Tense moments aside, eighth day of Milwaukee protests is peaceful
It was mostly peace and calm on the eighth day of protests against police brutality in Milwaukee.
But that doesn’t mean there weren’t tense moments.
One group of local activists protesting the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police began their march in Humboldt Park on Friday and completed their loop just before 10:30 p.m., according to a livestream of the event.
The protesters cheered for the event organizers, who thanked everyone for walking a reported 16 miles, and everyone took a moment to howl at the full moon in celebration.
Another second march of some 200 protesters, led by local activist Frank Nitty, traveled down W. Wisconsin Avenue before heading to the city’s south side.
The group came face to face with dozens of Milwaukee police officers when the marchers stopped shortly after 11 p.m. in front of the Milwaukee Police Department's District 2 station at 245 W. Lincoln Ave.
The protesters chanted, "Kneel with us," while one or two in the crowd stepped forward to direct comments at the police officers lined in front of the station.
None of the cops appeared to respond.
Khalil Coleman, one of the leaders of the march, helped diffuse the tension from the standoff by handing his bullhorn to a 4-year-old girl, who belted out, "Black lives matter," prompting cheers from the crowd of protesters.
Later, two protesters told Nitty that marching was “the best way” to spend their 21st wedding anniversary. Nitty brought them to the front of the crowd so other protesters could congratulate them and they could share their story.
— Dan Bice
11:45 p.m.: Protesters pause outside District 2, then continue trek
Some 200 protesters led by Frank Nitty came face to face with dozens of Milwaukee police officers when they stopped shortly after 11 p.m. in front of the Milwaukee Police Department's District 2 station at 245 W. Lincoln Ave.
The protesters chanted, "Kneel with us," while one or two in the crowd stepped forward to direct comments at the police officers lined in front of the station. None of the cops appeared to respond. After several minutes, the protesters continued their lengthy march east on W. Lincoln Avenue.
Khalil Coleman, one of the leaders of the march, helped diffuse the tension from the standoff with Milwaukee police by handing his bullhorn to a 4-year-old girl, who belted out, "Black lives matter," prompting cheers from the crowd of protesters.
Later, two protesters told Nitty that marching was “the best way” to spend their 21st wedding anniversary. Nitty brought them to the front of the crowd so other protesters could congratulate them and they could share their story.
— Daniel Bice and Dana Brandt
10:30 p.m.: Humboldt Park protesters complete reported 16-mile march
The group of protesters who began their march in Humboldt Park today completed their loop just before 10:30 p.m., according to a livestream of the event.
The protesters cheered for the event organizers, who thanked everyone for coming out and walking a reported 16 miles, and everyone took a moment to howl at the full moon in celebration.
The march passed Milwaukee Police District 2, where officers and members of the Wisconsin National Guard stood armed, but the two groups did not interact, according to a reporter at the scene.
And the protest led by organizer Frank Nitty was headed south on South 6th Street. The group passed West Becher Street around 10:30 p.m.
As the group marched through the south side, demonstrators chanted both "I can't breathe" and the Spanish translation, "No puedo respirar," according to a livestream from the scene.
9:45 p.m.: Humboldt Park protest organized to be inclusive, safe
As he took part in multiple protests earlier in the week, Thomas Franecki noticed that they ran too late into the evening, leading to safety concerns — especially for women, children and disabled persons.
So, Franecki organized his own event — Friday’s "With No Justice, We Walk In Peace" protest — with a start time of 2 p.m. in Humboldt Park.
"We wanted to make sure people where getting to and from our destinations safely and our message was getting across at a good time,” he said.
Franecki's event was highly organized, with medical staff and cars carrying bottles of water. All leaders used walkie-talkies to stay in contact at all times.
He wanted to make sure people were well taken care of, and able to spread the message powerfully and peacefully.
“Our message is that my skin doesn’t define me,” Franecki. “It’s always been the message and always will be. I shouldn’t have to walk outside of my house and be afraid of being stopped by cop because the color of my skin.”
Franecki is a gay black man who is a drag performer by trade. This week he’s marched for all black lives — including straight, gay, trans and non-binary.
“My black trans brothers and sisters walked and fought for me back in the day so that I have a right to be out here because of the color of my skin and the person that I am.”
Franecki wants to see change in Milwaukee and throughout the country for all black people. He says that will be achieved with understanding between people, law enforcement and legislators.
“The unity is our process of change. Having everyone come together is what really makes the difference,” Franecki said, “and I want to see a change is legislation in my city as well.”
— Patricia McKnight
9:30 p.m.: Protesters continue march through Milwaukee
Protesters that began at Humboldt Park in Bay View Friday afternoon were continuing east on West Lincoln Avenue as of 9:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m.: Wauwatosa mayor 'welcomes' protests, apologizes for city's history of racism
The mayor of Wauwatosa on Friday said in a statement that he welcomes the protests that have recently taken place in the city.
“We welcome those protests as a legitimate expression of the rights to free speech and peaceful assembly enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” Mayor Dennis McBride said. “We have heard the calls for meaningful change.”
Several hundred demonstrators peacefully marched 35 blocks west through Wauwatosa Thursday evening after starting on Milwaukee’s north side. And on Wednesday, more than 500 people gathered near Wauwatosa's City Hall to protest injustice and celebrate the life of George Floyd.
McBride also said there was “much work to be done” to ensure the voices of people of color are heard, both locally and nationally.
“Hate has no home here. We recognize that our community’s diversity is its strength,” his statement continued. “We acknowledge the suffering of our African American neighbors and we join them in calling for nationwide reform.”
McBride also apologized for Wauwatosa’s “sorrowful legacy of racism” and said he has directed the city’s department leaders to create a comprehensive plan to improve conditions for people of color in the city.
“I apologize for our history of racism and pledge that Wauwatosa will be in the vanguard of positive change,” he said.
— Sophie Carson
8 p.m.: State Sen. Lena Taylor joins march
The group participating in protest leaders Frank Nitty and Khalil Coleman's eighth day of marches across Milwaukee may be one of the smallest yet, according to one reporter at the scene.
State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, joined the Wisconsin Avenue protest around 7:45 p.m. and led a few chants, including “No justice, no peace.”
She also spoke about the importance of everyone at the protest using their power to vote and criticized Mayor Tom Barrett’s recently announced commission on police reform. “I’m done waiting on reports, studies,” Taylor said, according to video taken by reporter Graham Kilmer.
Andre Triplett, who said on Thursday he was acting as a security guard for Nitty, was again marching while open-carrying a rifle. Nitty has said there are threats on his life, but the Milwaukee Police Department said those claims are unsubstantiated.
Another group of protesters turned east onto West Lincoln Avenue from Miller Park Way around 8 p.m. The group began marching from Humboldt Park in Bay View around 2 p.m.
7:45 p.m.: Demonstrator shares moment with organizer
Protest leader Frank Nitty shared a moment with a white protester who became emotional as he explained to Nitty what these marches meant to him.
In Nitty’s Facebook livestream, the protester, with tears in his eyes, told Nitty that he himself has been racist, but now he was there to uplift others.
"It's not even about me, that's the thing, dude. That's why I'm here, man, I want to inspire you. Because we need leaders, dude, we need people to bring us all together," the protester said.
Nitty became a bit choked up as well, and the two men hugged.
“It was crazy to touch people like that,” Nitty said to his livestream audience. “That’s what this is about.”
— Dana Brandt
7:10 p.m.: Two groups of marchers head east, south through Milwaukee
A group of about 200 people were marching east on West Wisconsin Avenue, trailed by about 20 cars. The demonstrators had reached the intersection with North 25th Street as of 7:10 p.m.
Protest organizer Frank Sensabaugh, who is more commonly known as Frank Nitty, was leading the demonstration, which started near North 35th Street and Wisconsin.
Another group of protesters, which had marched west on West National Avenue after starting at Humboldt Park Friday afternoon, turned south onto Miller Park Way around 7:20 p.m. Milwaukee County Sheriff's deputies were blocking freeway entrances there.
6:30 p.m.: Protesters continue to march west
A group of protesters heading west on West National Avenue had reached the intersection with South Layton Boulevard as of 6:30 p.m.
At around 6:30 p.m., the protesters stopped and leaders distributed sandwiches and water to the larger group. A few protesters also speak briefly, one describing the killing of George Floyd as “the last straw, and there shouldn’t be any straws!”
Just before 6 p.m., the protesters stopped to take a break. People sat on curbs, sidewalks or in the street, still holding their signs, while speakers played music, kicking off with Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.”
A different group of marchers was heading east on West Wisconsin Avenue.
5:45 p.m.: Group of marchers heads west on National Avenue
At least one group of protesters was marching through Milwaukee's south side Friday evening.
The group of marchers was headed west on West National Avenue as of 5:45 p.m. The demonstration began at Humboldt Park.
The protesters chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, these racist cops have got to go,” and “Black lives matter!" Cars honked along to the beat created by a protester’s bass drum and the call-and-response.
Elisa Moore’s day job is a pediatric RN in Milwaukee. But on Friday, she volunteered to be a medic for the protest in case anyone needs medical help.
“I’m here supporting the people and supporting the movement,” Moore said. “I think it’s way over due.”
She was out marching for Floyd George and her family and friends.
“It’s unfortunate that one man’s death ignited this fire in everybody to bring us here together, but I’m glad that it’s more people taking about it,” Moore said.
Moore hopes that these protests continue to inspire change across the country and right systemic wrongs.
“It’s definitely making uncomfortable conversations in people’s household that need to be had,” Moore said. “Because if we don’t talk about it, nothing’s going to change.”
And Jay Perkins brought out Flannery O’Connor the “protest pig” from New Mexico for the protest today.
“We need reform, we need change,” said Perkins. “More police need to be trialed for the crimes they’ve committed.”
Perkins is originally from Bay View and is here on vacation. When the protests broke out across the country, he decided to extend his stay and march in the protests. This is his fifth protest here.
“I think it’s just the beginning and we’ve got a long ways to go,” said Perkins.
— Patricia McKnight
5 p.m.: Protester marches for her family
Many gathered at Humboldt Park for another protest against police brutality, demanding justice for George Floyd.
Among those was Nellie Workman, a Chicago native who has since moved to Milwaukee.
Workman grew up in a suburb right outside of Chicago.
“I grew up in a pretty racist neighborhood called Mount Greenwood, where a black family moved in and they had a brick thrown through the window, said Workman. “That’s the type of neighborhood I grew up in.”
After witnessing injustice on my the neighborhood she grew up in, she hopes to never see that happen again to a black family.
And to ensure that, she marches today.
“I come from a mixed family. I worry about my cousins; I worry about my sisters,” said Workman.
She said that after the protests are done, the police system needs to be dismantled and replaced with a more community-centered organization.
For her family and other minorities judged by the color of their skin, she marches.
“This is a response to injustice everywhere across the country,” said Workman.
— Patricia McKnight
4:30 p.m.: Milwaukee man tried to set Boost Mobile store on fire with Molotov cocktail, charges say
A 26-year-old Milwaukee man was charged Friday with trying set a mobile phone store on fire with a Molotov cocktail Sunday night.
Tyshaun Smith faces federal counts attempted arson and possession of a destructive device.
The charges were announced at a news conference Friday afternoon at Milwaukee Police headquarters led by U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger, but that featured impassioned comments from MPD Chief Alfonso Morales.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police were called to Boost Mobile, 949 N. 27th St., around 11 p.m. Sunday night on a report an entry to the store. When officers arrived, they saw three men standing outside a broken window.
Smith was holding what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail fire bomb, and threw it inside the store before the three men fled.
Smith fell and when police arrested him, they noticed his clothing smelled of gasoline and he was in possession of a loaded handgun.
Police were able to extinguish the fire bomb before the store was ignited.
— Bruce Vielmetti
4 p.m.: Protesters march through West Allis
A protest worked its way through West Allis on Friday, as about 50 people held signs, chanted for justice and walked through the streets of the city, pausing for a time in front of the West Allis Police Department.
The group gathered in Greenfield Park at noon, marched south on 124th Street, then headed east on Lincoln Avenue. They paused at the West Allis Police Department, blocking the entrance for about 15 minutes.
About nine minutes of that was spent on a knee in silence in memory of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man whose death at the hands of a police officer has sparked protests nationwide.
They then rose and vocalized chants such as “Black lives matter,” “No justice, no peace,” and “Say his name, George Floyd.”
— Bob Dohr
3:57 p.m.: Barrett breaks with police on use of rubber bullets, tear gas
In a rare appearance before a Milwaukee Common Council committee Friday afternoon, Mayor Tom Barrett said he did not support police’s use of rubber bullets and tear gas on protesters.
“I do not believe that using rubber bullets to disperse crowds is appropriate,” he said. “I don’t think we should be using tear gas unless it’s a very, very, very, very serious situation, but certainly not with peaceful protesters.”
Milwaukee has seen eight days of protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.
In an hours-long meeting Friday afternoon, police faced often pointed questions from members of the Common Council on a host of issues relate to their response to protesters, including their use of rubber bullets and tear gas, the claim by police that Molotov cocktails had been thrown at officers and ongoing disruptive behavior on King Drive.
Milwaukee Assistant Police Chief Michael Brunson said police do not use force against people engaged in peaceful protest.
“We have not had issues with any type of violence in the majority of the daytime protests,” he said. “It’s at night when many of the protesters from the day are gone that we run into the issues.”
Ald. Chantia Lewis challenged Brunson, saying an interaction between police and protesters on the Hoan Bridge ended in force being used, including tear gas.
Brunson said it’s “extremely dangerous” to have people climb onto a freeway.
He said 165 curfew tickets had been issued.
— Alison Dirr
3:15 p.m. Barrett creates a new policing commission
The demonstrations against police brutality in recent days have prompted Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to create a new group to evaluate police practices and build trust between officers and the public.
“The tragic events in recent days and the history of police violence in America underscore the critical need for the City of Milwaukee, and every city across the nation, to take specific actions to examine and transform America’s policing system," Barrett said in a statement.
"Far too many black lives have been lost.”
Barrett wants the commission to engage with the entire community, paying special attention to African American males, who carry the highest risk of being subjected to police violence.
According to the release, the commission’s goals for the next 90 days are to review the department’s use of force policies and recommend any necessary reforms and to determine whether the department is following the guidelines put forth by President Obama’s task force on 21st century policing.
Barrett also wants the commission to determine how effective the Police Department has been in implementing two strategies for reform that were called for earlier. The first is the Blueprint for Peace, which was created by the Health Department’s Office of Violence Prevention and calls for de-escalation training and training in recognizing implicit bias, among other things.
The second is a set of recommendations from the Community Collaborative Committee, which espouses the creation of a a community-oriented policing policy that would be integrated into training and professional development opportunities for officers.
— Gina Barton
1:50 p.m.: Accessible march planned for Sunday
On Sunday, organizers are hosting a march accessible for people with a range of disabilities to “support Black Lives Matter, end police brutality, and elevate justice for all.”
The event starts at 2 p.m. at King Park, 1531 W. Vliet St., and ends at 6 p.m.
The four mile route is flat and downhill for those using wheelchairs and other mobility aids. There will be four rest stops with medics, water, spray bottles, ear plugs and other supplies. People can also participate in a vehicle caravan.
American Sign Language interpreters will be available along the route and via livestream.
The group will make stops along the way to hold moments of silence for black and brown people killed by police. These moments are also intended to support participants who could be experiencing heightened anxiety at the event.
Noting that many people with disabilities have compromised immune systems, organizers have asked participants to wear masks and stay at least six feet apart from others.
The group is accepting donations to purchase supplies through CashApp: $EstherLeaAnder30, with a note that the funds are for J4GF (Justice for George Floyd).
— Rory Linnane
9:19 a.m.: Milwaukee nurse who put out fire at Walgreens gets a call from governor
Donte White, the Milwaukee man who put out a fire at his neighborhood Walgreens late last week, got a call from Gov. Tony Evers to thank him for stepping in to help.
White, a 32-year-old registered nurse and lifelong Milwaukee resident, had joined last Friday night's protests to speak out against police officers killing people of color, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Joel Acevedo in Milwaukee.
"This was my first time speaking to him," White said. "I was honored and he said, 'Wisconsin thanks you,' and at that moment I couldn't have been more proud to be a Wisconsin resident."
Evers said talking to him was "one of the highlights that you have in this circumstance."
"We talked about what he did that night. For him, it was just like, 'I had to do it. I'm fair. There was damage going on. I took care of it. And that's that,' " Evers said. "And frankly, that kind of response is something that I think the vast majority of Wisconsinites are just like."
— Mary Spicuzza
9:05 a.m.: Racine demonstration planned to honor Floyd, Wisconsin's Ty'rese West and Dontre Hamilton
A car caravan in Racine is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday to honor the lives of those killed by police officers, specifically George Floyd who was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis; Ty'rese West who was killed in 2019 by a Mount Pleasant police officer in Racine County; and Dontre Hamilton, who was killed in 2014 by a Milwaukee police officer.
The event plans to start on Roosevelt Park Drive and mother's of West and Hamilton plan to speak before the two mile march to the Racine County Courthouse.
Other speakers include Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera and Angelina Cruz, president of Racine Educators United.
— Ricardo Torres
8:20 a.m.: Milwaukee police union supports peaceful demonstrations
The head of the Milwaukee police union released a statement condemning “the tragic murder” of George Floyd and expressing support for peaceful demonstrators in Milwaukee and the nation.
“To see a man die unjustly at the hands of a law enforcement officer is especially appalling to all of us who have sworn to serve and protect our communities,” Dale Bormann Jr., the president of the Milwaukee Police Association, said in the statement Thursday. “There is no excuse or justification for these officers’ actions.”
In the six-paragraph statement, Bormann wrote that those in the law enforcement community must hold each other accountable and expressed empathy for the “hard feelings in Milwaukee and across the country where law enforcement has failed to live up to the standards our communities deserve.”
“We strongly support the constitutional rights of citizens to have their voices of pain, anger and frustration in the wake of the George Floyd incident heard,” Bormann said.
He also condemned the actions of “agitators” who are more interested in causing unrest than peaceful protesting, saying they “threaten to turn constructive demonstrations of solidarity around a just cause into destructive acts of violence and divisiveness.”
After a week of protests in Milwaukee, demonstrations have been largely peaceful but have been occasionally marred by clashes between police and civilians, along with reports of looting and property damage.
— Elliot Hughes
7:50 a.m.: At least 2 protests planned for Friday
Protest marches were planned to begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood and at 5 p.m. near Brookfield Square in Brookfield.
The protest route for the "With No Justice, We Walk In Peace Protest" at Humboldt Park has not been determined yet, according to a post on Facebook by the organizers. Participants will begin gathering at 2 p.m. and marching is expected to begin at 3 p.m.
In Brookfield, the "Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protest Brookfield" is scheduled for 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will be gathering at the intersection of Blue Mound and Moorland roads, according to the organizers' post on Facebook.
— Mike Johnson
Recap: Thursday, June 4
As Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett called for an investigation Thursday into police interactions with protesters during several days of unrest, police officers sought to calm tensions through a simple act — walking with them.
While protests of police brutality have largely been peaceful in metro Milwaukee, there also have been multiple clashes leading to arrests.
The mayor said he wants interactions between police and protesters reviewed immediately. And 14 of the 15 Milwaukee Common Council members called for a formal Fire and Police Commission investigation into an incident Tuesday involving a police officer who appeared to restrain a protester using a knee to the neck and head.
“It’s important to promptly examine the body camera footage and see what precipitated these actions. The videos raise questions and we must have all the information," the mayor said in a statement.
The issue came to a head on the same day a funeral for George Floyd was held in Minneapolis with attendees standing in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time a police officer knelt on his neck, extinguishing his life.
Protests in Milwaukee and cities across the nation and world have been peaceful and some have been violent. On Tuesday some protesters who tried to walk onto I-794 at North 6th Street and West McKinley Avenue were arrested and it's those arrests that are at the center of discussion between Milwaukee's elected leaders and police.
Protests were held in Milwaukee, Brookfield, Wauwatosa and Madison Wednesday.
In Milwaukee, police said a 22-year-old man killed in a crash during a police pursuit possibly had been protesting earlier in the day. A Honda Pilot with seven people inside was seen recklessly driving on Center St., police said. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, it sped off and struck a Mini Cooper with one person inside. The victim was a passenger in the Pilot.