On what would have been Breonna Taylor's 27th birthday, protestors across Wisconsin planned to gather to fight for justice for Taylor and the end of police brutality.
Taylor was shot to death by police on March 13, when officers executing a no-knock warrant entered her Louisville, Kentucky apartment in the middle of the night. After a brief confrontation, police fired several shots, striking her at least eight times.
In Madison, demonstrators met at James Madison Park at 2 p.m. Organizers from Urban Triage and Freedom Inc. said Friday's "call to action" was a party to celebrate Taylor's birthday.
Shortly after 2 p.m., organizers set up tables full of food and water, fired up grills for a cookout and chalked the sidewalk with messages like "Happy Birthday Breonna. #SayHerName."
Freedom Inc. handed out masks to those without, and encouraged people to practice safe, social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Mahnker Dahnweih, community power building coordinator for Freedom Inc., addressed a crowd of roughly 200 people, emphasizing the need to keep up the momentum.
"We need to continue to seek policy change and to seek justice for all murdered black people in this country," she said. "The root of all of this is white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism, and we have to continue to be vigilant in abolishing all of those systems of oppression ... the demand for today across the nation is: stop this war against black people."
Brandi Grayson, founder and CEO of Urban Triage, announced that next week, Madison organizers would be handing off the planning of events to area youth. Grayson told attendees to "move out the way," as young people are "making and creating history."
Kim Williams, who attended the James Madison Park gathering, said she’s already been to a handful of the protests in Madison. She said she wants to see laws and policies that hold police officers accountable, and that eliminate systemic injustices.
"I’m hoping to see the system change," said Williams. "I feel like it’s been corrupted since before I was born. Since before my mother was born. For years and years, and centuries and centuries. So I’m looking for change. I’m looking for equality."
Madison police closed Gorham Street near James Madison Park, but beyond that, police presence was minimal Friday afternoon.
In nearby Monona, City Council member Kristie Goforth Schilling planned to host a virtual town hall at 7 p.m. to "talk about social justice issues, racial disparities and how white people can take steps towards being true allies."
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The town hall comes after 23-year-old Keonte Furdge filed a complaint against Monona police for handcuffing him in his own home, after a neighbor called the police on him.
Several protests were planned in the Milwaukee area Friday, including one in West Allis starting at noon. Protestors planned to meet at Greenfield Park and begin marching to the West Allis Police Department.
Also at noon, protesters met at the corner of North 52nd and West Chambers Street to march to Sherman Park. Milwaukee police officers, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Jewish community leaders and health care workers from Ascension SE Wisconsin's St. Joseph Campus joined in the march.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore also attended the protest.
Another group of demonstrators planned to meet at Humboldt Park — the site of several Milwaukee demonstrations — at 2 p.m. to prepare for another march. According to a Facebook post for the event, "the route will be determined by what is safest for the group."
The event description thanked everyone for their continued participation in peaceful protests and read, "We have become a movement and there will always be power behind your voice and IT DESERVES TO BE HEARD!"
Protests in the Milwaukee area were also planned Friday for Brookfield, Grafton and Glendale.
Friday marks the eighth day of protests in Milwaukee.
Immigrant advocacy group Voces de la Frontera is planning a car caravan through Racine Friday that starts at 5 p.m. The protest will honor George Floyd as well as Dontre Hamilton, who was shot and killed by Milwaukee police in 2014, and Ty'rese West, who was shot and killed by police in Mount Pleasant last year. The mothers of Hamilton and West are scheduled to speak.
There was also a protest planned for Friday in Portage.
Editor's note: This story will be updated. WPR's Bridgit Bowden, Rachael Vasquez, Jenny Peek, Kyla Calvert Mason and Erik Lorenzsonn contributed reporting to this story.
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