MPD updates for the morning of August 5, 2026

Williamson Street and East Washington Avenue are open this morning following overnight unrest that turned violent. 

Around 8:00 PM, protesters began to occupy Baldwin Street with tents, suited up in hazmat and other protective gear, and told officers things were “about to get bad."

In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, police stepped back from the intersection. Protesters reoccupied the intersection for a couple of hours until moving over to East Washington at Baldwin Street. 

There, protesters emptied dumpsters and trash cans throughout the intersection, rendering it impassable to traffic. Attempts were made to move protesters off of East Washington Avenue back down Baldwin Street. At this time, protesters set a total of five fires in the middle of the streets. Officers coordinated with Madison Fire to extinguish the fires without damage to additional property or injury to firefighters or others. 

Officers re-claimed the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin after midnight. At no time did officers use munitions or force to restore order in the streets.

Six people have been arrested since 5:45 PM Tuesday night.

MPD thanks Dane County Sheriff's Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol, UW Police, and Sun Prairie Police for their assistance overnight. MPD especially thanks the Madison Fire Department for extinguishing several fires overnight, and the Madison Streets Division for responding in the middle of the night to clean the streets, remove debris, and return our busy thoroughfares to safe and passable condition for morning commuters and pedestrians.