(Milwaukee, WI) –On Friday, Milwaukee was approved to host the 2024 Republican National Convention, an alarming decision that normalizes an organization that has embraced white supremacy, authoritarianism, and acts of political violence. Hosting the RNC in Milwaukee rejects the voices and concerns of Milwaukee’s Black, Brown, and immigrant communities and the members of the LGBTQ+ community, people who value free and fair elections, and organizations who publicly opposed the RNC’s embrace of racist and xenophobic policies, anti-worker policies and attacks on women’s rights and LGBTQ rights.

 

In a press statement directed to the Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Johnson on June 2nd, Voces de la Frontera Action, Never Again is Now, SEIU Wisconsin State Council, Freedom Action Now, and BLOC stated, “The Republican Party is not welcome in a majority people of color city with the largest number of immigrants and refugees in the state of Wisconsin.  We do not want acts of racist violence against our community and we do not want our city turned into a militarized zone.” The statement also refuted any claims RNC would positively impact the vast majority of Milwaukee neighborhoods explaining, “the claims of a $200 million impact are little more than public relations talking points. They overestimate any real financial gain.”

 

In fact, the city of Milwaukee will see little of the $200 million touted as coming into the area’s economy. As Marquette political scientist Philip Rocco pointed out last month, this number is wildly exaggerated. Much of the money that comes into the area will benefit private corporations; Milwaukee’s tax structure means that NONE of the revenues generated by hosting such an event will benefit the public.  A June bid by the Common Council to set aside a mere $6 million of the projected benefits failed. Hosting the RNC will be both dangerous and expensive, requiring extra policing for which the city will foot the bill.

 

Signed,

Voces de la Frontera Action, Bloc, Never Again is Now, SEIU Wisconsin State Council, and Freedom Action Now

 

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