Photo credit: Quinn Clark
A group of about 100 protesters participated in a sit-in in the heart of Tosa Village to bring awareness to lack of police accountability and racial equity in Wauwatosa.
On a late Saturday morning in the Village in Wauwatosa, people sat in restaurants for brunch, dining inside to avoid the rain and cold weather. What they didn’t expect to hear was the loud chanting of names of those who have died at the hands of police in Wauwatosa: Alvin Cole, Jay Anderson and Antonio Gonzalez.
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
Protesters march towards the destination of their sit-in, led by the People's Revolution, Tosa Moms Tackling Racism, Tosa Together and Indivisible Tosa.
Demonstrators came marching down State Street in Wauwatosa on Oct. 3, demanding police accountability and racial equity. Inside Cafe Hollander, customers’ heads turned to see around 100 protesters approaching the heart of the popular shopping district. Despite the ground being drenched in rain, demonstrators sat down to participate in a sit-in called “Good Trouble Takes a Village” led by the Peoples’ Revolution, Tosa Moms Tackling Racism, Tosa Together and Indivisible Tosa.
Jackie Bogenberger, member of the People’s Revolution, has been protesting with the group for the past 128 days. She says she’s seen people arrested, elderly people pushed over and children pepper sprayed, and some of that harsh treatment was at the hands of the Wauwatosa Police Department. “I feel like people are scared because of how the police do react to us because they (police) don't like that the community stands with us,” Bogenberger said. “They don’t like that the neighbors come outside and cheer and hold up signs and put their fists up.”
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Crushing Dissent?
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
Steve Conklin, member of the People’s Revolution, says he protests for a better future for his black daughter.
Steve Conklin joined the People’s Revolution to fight for a better future for his 16-year-old adopted daughter, Molly. Because she is black, he worries for her safety as she grows up. Conklin is from Watertown and drives in to participate in protests in Milwaukee County. “The more I got involved I saw, even particularly in Wauwatosa, how much they (police) are against anybody just expressing their dissent,” Conklin said. “They want to crush it. And the reason they want to crush it is they have, in my opinion, so much corruption that they're hiding that they don't want us to find out how bad it really is.”
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
Khalil Coleman, leader of the People’s Revolution, raises his fist during a moment of silence in Hart Park.
Khalil Coleman, leader of the People’s Revolution, spoke to the group in Hart Park before heading to the sit-in. He reminded them that police officers should be held accountable for murder, and that this has not been the case in Wauwatosa in regards to Officer Joseph Mensah. “We want the termination of Joseph Mensah immediately,” Coleman said. “He's already suspended. He's obviously suspended for doing something wrong. So why is he still on the force?”
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
Wisconsin State Assemblyman David Bowen reminds protesters that change is much deeper than just one situation. “We know that we have hurting families, three in particular in the city of Wauwatosa that have lost loved ones, and there is nothing that we can do to bring them back. But what we can do is to make sure that no other person is made a victim by the same system,” he said.
Some of those in attendance included Wisconsin State Assemblyman David Bowen, John Larry, member of Wauwatosa’s ad hoc committee formed to address policing and systemic inequities, and the families of Alvin Cole and Jay Anderson. “I’m here because the blood of Alvin Cole is still screaming out to me,” Larry said. “I'm here because the blood of Alvin Cole has compelled me to come out here as much as I possibly can and put on the conscience of white residents here in Wauwatosa that Black lives matter.”
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
John Larry, member of Wauwtosa’s ad hoc committee formed to address policing and systemic inequities, asks protesters to remember why they are gathered here today.
Employees of surrounding restaurants stepped outside to see the group of protesters. No business owners seemed bothered by the sit-in’s presence, some even raising their fists in solidarity. “The blood of Antonio Gonzalez is still screaming from the streets,” Larry said. “The blood of Jay Anderson Jr. is still screaming from the streets. The blood of Alvin Cole is still rising up and compelling us to go out into the streets of Tosa and let the residents know that black lives matter.”
At around 3 p.m., about 13 police officers attempted to disband the sit-in, declaring it an unlawful assembly. However, they were met with protesters sticking to their spot, refusing to leave. Wauwatosa residents chanted, “We want you here,” to tell police that they supported the demonstration. After the show of support, police eventually left and no arrests were made.
Photo credit: Quinn Clark
A protester participates in the sit-in in Tosa Village in front of Cafe Hollander.
