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Two mornings after Madison’s mayor called for the end of an encampment at Williamson and South Baldwin streets, which formed after the July 22 police shooting of Corey Ruiz, the intersection remained barricaded Sunday and home to over a dozen tents.
A campfire in the middle of the intersection warmed several people listening to music in the day’s early hours, while memorial candles continued burning around the vigil to Ruiz, 38, who was fatally shot by a Madison police officer following a struggle captured on bystander video.
City leaders initially supported barricading the intersection so people could mourn and protest Ruiz’s death, but they have increasingly raised concern about its safety and impact on the neighborhood in recent days.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called the situation “not sustainable or safe” in a statement Thursday, citing a lack of bathrooms, unsafe food preparation practices and potential delays for emergency responders to move through the area. The next day, Rhodes-Conway called for the encampment to end and for “voluntarily taking down the barricades,” which include cars, piles of wood, tents and a recreational vehicle.
A recreational vehicle and tents east of Williamson and South Baldwin streets were part of the barricade Sunday morning.
On Saturday, the mayor issued another statement saying the city was “preparing for a respectful transition” and the group at the intersection is “increasingly made up of people who are experiencing homelessness.” She called the occupation “deeply harming” to the neighborhood.
“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,” the mayor wrote. “The barricades need to be deconstructed. The vehicles obstructing the right-of-way need to be moved.”
Rhodes-Conway, who is running for reelection next spring, said the vigil site and other memorial items dedicated to Ruiz should be preserved but stopped short of saying where or how. A new traffic pattern at the intersection could be an option, she said.
Piles of wood were part of the barricade blocking the intersection of Williamson and South Baldwin streets on Sunday morning.
The mayor and some City Council members have described a growing volume of complaints from protesters, neighbors and businesses, as well as concerns that the encampment would distract from policy discussions about policing in Madison.
“Those who also want real change after the police shooting of Corey Ruiz are increasingly failing to understand and losing patience with a protest tactic that seems misaligned with bringing the community together,” Rhodes-Conway said Thursday.
After the encampment formed, Ald. Davy Mayer, who represents the area on the City Council, and other city leaders said they were working with protest organizers to resolve concerns. City trucks were placed at times to block the intersection for safety, trash services were restored, and access improved to some driveways and businesses.
By Sunday, the encampment included tents offering healthcare and social services. Several portable bathrooms and a hand washing station were set up west of the memorial. At the intersection of South Baldwin and Jenifer streets, “Corey” was painted over a street sign.
At the intersection of South Baldwin and Jenifer streets, “Corey St.” is painted over a sign for South Baldwin Street, referring to Corey Ruiz, who was fatally shot by a Madison police officer on July 22.
Some community members, like the owner of the nearby Marquette Hotel, have also called for the encampment to end. In a July 29 email to Mayer and shared with local news organizations, James Montgomery said the encampment had raised safety concerns and slowed guest bookings.
“The stress this has placed on my staff and my customers is a constant concern,” Montgomery wrote. “Eventually, I will have to reduce staff hours or end employment altogether, as we become a business with no guests to serve.”
The same day, Madison police reported arresting a 31-year-old man at the intersection on charges of substantial battery, battery and disorderly conduct with a hate crime enhancer. The man cursed at a crowd, kicked signs, pushed someone and punched another person, according to police. Protest organizers detained the man until police arrived.
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On Friday, with rain in the forecast, Mayer said city officials were trying to get hotel vouchers for unhoused people so they could leave the street. He said the goal remained “a peaceful resolution for activists and neighbors alike, along with continued work with the community on a memorial honoring all those who have lost their lives to police violence.”
A state Department of Justice investigation into the shooting of Ruiz is ongoing. Police Chief John Patterson has said Ruiz was shot during a struggle to arrest him and the officer who shot Ruiz had been injured by a knife.
The struggle and shooting were recorded on video by bystanders, and then spread on social media, drawing national attention and immediate protests. Rhodes-Conway has questioned the shooting, while City Council President Sabrina Madison has called for the officer’s arrest.
Authorities have not released the name of the officer who shot Ruiz or three other officers who were involved in attempting to arrest Ruiz. All four officers are on paid administrative leave amid the state investigation, according to Patterson.
