Photo Courtesy of Hayley Thomson of Milwaukee Anti-war Committee
Milwaukee Anti-war Committee Protestors
As Wisconsin boosts its investment in military manufacturing, peace activists are pushing back.
On Tuesday, May 13, the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) will be joined by 13 other organizations in protesting the Wisconsin Defense Industry Council (WDIC) Annual Conference. The rally will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Pewaukee Park & Ride, with participants traveling together to the Ingleside Hotel for a 1:00 p.m. static rally outside the event.
Organizers say the protest is a response to the harmful, growing presence of the defense industry in Wisconsin and its increasing share of state resources.
“We’ve protested the rise in defense contracts across the state,” said Hayley Thomson of MAC. “Wisconsin shouldn’t be pouring resources into these contracts—we should be investing in industries that support and sustain life, like healthcare and agriculture.”
Activists also challenge the language often used to describe military manufacturing. “Calling it the ‘defense industry’ makes it sound like these efforts are about protection,” organizers argue. “But in reality, the U.S. military is not defending—it’s initiating conflicts and securing contracts abroad for its own gain. We believe it’s more accurate to call it the war industry.”
The rally will feature speakers from several participating groups, including the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, Peace Action, the Green Bay Anti-war Committee and the Young Democratic Socialists of America at UW-Milwaukee. Together, the coalition seeks to highlight how military contracts drain local industry of labor and materials that could otherwise benefit Wisconsin communities.
In addition to MAC, organizations involved include the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, CodePink Milwaukee, Students for a Democratic Society, Black Alliance for Peace and Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee, among others.
