Hundreds March in Madison Demanding Justice For Tony, Dontre, $15 and a Union, Funding for Public Education

MADISON, MARCH 11 — Hundreds of youth, students, workers and their allies marched today to demand justice for Tony Robinson and Dontre Hamilton, $15 and a union and adequate funding for public education. The days events were sponsored by the Coalition for Justice, Young Gifted and Black and Wisconsin Jobs Now.

The protests began with students walking out of multiple schools and converging on the Department of Corrections building to demand an end to the New Jim Crow and the prison-industrial complex.

From there the multi-generational, multi-national crowd marched with a massive “Black Lives Matter” banner to Worthington Park for a rally where members of all three sponsoring organizations and many others spoke out against low-wages, police terror and austerity. Protesters came from Chicago, Milwaukee, Wausau, Racine and many other cities in Wisconsin.

“We will not be who the media already says we are. We are sending a new message. We must move together in solidarity. Today we stand strong, and we stand together,” said Brandi Grayson, a leader of the Young, Gifted and Black Coalition.

Andrea Irwin, mother of Tony Robinson a 19-year-old African American man who was killed by police March 6 in Madison, also spoke at the park rally and invited the public to funeral services March 14. Visitation will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. with a service at 4 p.m. at East High School, 2222 E Washington Ave, Madison. “I want everyone to be there,” said Irwin.

Jennifer Epps-Addison, Executive Director of Wisconsin Jobs Now said this was just the beginning of a coordinated effort of protests around the state. She denounced the signing of right-to-work-for-less legislation by Scott Walker March 9. “We need to be bold in our action all over Wisconsin,” she said. “It’s all about helping the people who need help the most.”

After the mass rally at Worthington park, the crowd of hundreds marched to various fast food restaurants and then to the Governor’s Mansion where racist union-buster Scott Walker currently resides. Another speak-out took place with Nate Hamilton, the brother of Dontre Hamilton and Maria Hamilton, the mother of Dontre Hamilton, speaking. Dontre Hamilton was murdered by police officer Christopher Manney April 30, 2014 at Red Arrow Park in Milwaukee. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm declined to indict Manney and made that announcement in December. Manney was fired last fall but he has an appeal hearing that begins March 19 that the Coalition For Justice is currently organizing to protest at.

For updates, events and information: #justice4tony; facebook.com/justicefordontre; facebook.com/fergusontomadison; wibailoutpeople.org; facebook.com/wisconsinjobsnow.   

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#‎BlackLivesMatter ‪#‎JusticeForTony ‪#‎JusticeForDontre

@YGBCoalition