08/02/26 Joint Statement from Madison District 6 Alder Davy Mayer and Dane County Board District 6 Supervisor Yogesh Chawla on Willy / Baldwin Protest Area

Since the police killing of Corey Ruiz on July 22nd, we have been at Williamson and Baldwin every day. First, to express our intense anger at yet another officer-involved killing in our neighborhood. Next to mourn with the community in our collective grief and deeply examine the societal and structural issues that brought us to this place. Then to reach out to neighbors and community leaders, help keep people safe, and work to meet the needs of neighbors, activists and businesses on the ground.

We collaborated on reopening vital service providers like St. Vinny's, which serves one in five of our neighbors with essential services like free diapers and helping keep utilities on. We also assisted with move-out street access for neighbors whose leases had ended and move-in for new neighbors, navigating the barricades, checkpoints and vehicles along the site.

We are still actively working to de-escalate increasing friction between neighbors and protesters, identifying and addressing serious public health and safety concerns.

In recent days, we have seen an increasingly tense atmosphere, with outside agitators arriving on-site claiming to be armed and trying to provoke protestors. We have also seen predators arrive who intend to take advantage of vulnerable individuals present.

The situation is becoming untenable and we are concerned that the delicate peace maintained for so long by the activists, organizers and neighbors nearby could fracture. Our community has already seen enough pain and tragedy and we cannot endure any more.

We absolutely support sustained protest and demonstration, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the 24/7 occupation at Williamson and Baldwin Streets is unsustainable. We are calling for a peaceful, community-driven solution where the barricades come down, services are provided including housing to those in need on-site, and people to voluntarily disperse from this specific location.

We are further calling for a permanent memorial at the site for all victims of officer-involved killings in our neighborhood, through a community-driven, grassroots project, with the city providing full support for what is needed.

It is our top priority to work on enduring systemic change starting at the neighborhood, city and county levels, such as support for the City of Madison's Office of the Independent Monitor and Police Civilian Oversight Board, as well as city and county support for effective homelessness services that put people in housing and uplift them from poverty. 

We will also push for changes at the state and federal levels, as we clearly need progress across all of these institutions. That work will be vital as we must uproot the systems and processes that allow for and often facilitate injustice.

We will continue to engage with our neighbors, community organizers and leaders and elected officials to work toward a peaceful, collaborative solution.

-- Madison District 6 Alder Davy Mayer and Dane County Board District 6 Supervisor Yogesh Chawla