MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released a statement Saturday evening calling for a “respectful transition” of the memorial and protest space at the intersection of Williamson and South Baldwin Streets.
The intersection has been closed since Wednesday, July 22, when officers shot and killed Corey Ruiz.
Rhodes-Conway said the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Criminal Division Investigation is independently investigating the death of Ruiz. She said the Madison Police Department is fully cooperating but is not in charge of the investigation and cannot make arrest decisions or recommendations for charges pertaining to the case. That authority, she said, rests with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Dane County District Attorney.
She said there will be many opportunities, involving multiple government entities, in the days and weeks ahead for people to engage in and advocate for change in the criminal justice system, including at the state level.
Rhodes-Conway also encouraged people to engage with existing nonprofits, faith groups, and networks working to advocate for criminal justice reform, policing reform, and alternative emergency response systems.
Over the past week, the memorial at the intersection has grown. Rhodes-Conway said the occupation of the intersection is neither safe nor sustainable.
“At this point, it is distracting rather than supporting the dialogue and organizing that need to happen to make lasting change. And it is deeply harming the Marquette neighborhood,” Rhodes-Conway said. “The barricades must come down; people need to be able to access their homes and jobs so they don’t lose them; and businesses need to be able to open.”
Rhodes-Conway said a respectful transition can only happen if people on the ground take action and deconstruct the barricades themselves.
She said vehicles obstructing the right-of-way need to be moved and tents need to come down. The city said it stands ready to help and will work with anyone on the site willing to act.
The encampment has also forced nearby fire station detours, raising emergency response time concerns. Businesses and residents near the closure have also felt the impact.
The mayor said the group at the site is increasingly made up of people who are unhoused, and that nonprofits supporting the homeless community should be prioritized.
“Our entire community should be rallying around the soon-to-be-opened Bartillon men’s shelter with our people-power and pocketbooks. This first-of-its-kind, purpose-built shelter is currently a partnership between Dane County, the City of Madison, Porchlight, and Friends of Dane County Shelter. It can be an anchor for services for the unhoused community, with your support,” Rhodes-Conway said.
She also said memorial items need to be preserved or repositioned in a way that allows traffic to pass through. Rhodes-Conway said the city intends to honor requests to establish a permanent memorial in coordination with the Ruiz family.
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