CONTACT: David Gwidt, ACLU of Wisconsin Communications Director, dgwidt@aclu-wi.org
MADISON – ACLU of WI Executive Director Dr. Melinda Q. Brennan issued the following statement after Madison Police cleared an encampment dedicated to Corey Ruiz, who was fatally shot on July 22 by the Madison Police Department, leading to mass arrests and injuries.
“We are deeply concerned about reports of mass arrests and unnecessary use of force by law enforcement as officers dismantled an encampment assembled by community members calling for justice for Corey Ruiz.
History has shown us, time and time again, that deploying police into protest environments often escalates tensions, rather than calms them. When armed police show up and begin aggressively arresting and pepper-spraying protestors, it can jeopardize the safety of everyone involved, including demonstrators, law enforcement, and the surrounding community. For weeks, people have been coming together to demand justice for Corey Ruiz and his family, and to call for an end to generations of police violence against Black and Brown people. An excessive and heavy-handed law enforcement response is not the answer.”
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