MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called for the occupation of the intersection of Williamson Street and Baldwin Street to end in a statement released Friday.
“There is palpable grief in our community, and we must move forward with compassion and grace,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “I believe Madison can and must do better. A lot better. We need to start that work now. We cannot do that while facing the immediate crisis of an occupation of public spaces. The current blockade of a major thoroughfare detours public bus routes, makes it more difficult for community members to reach their jobs, and impedes fire and EMS response. It is causing real, possibly irreparable, harm to local business owners and community services that remain shut down due to the ongoing occupation.”
Rhodes-Conway said outreach workers are actively connecting unhoused people with services and shelter.
She also said in the statement that she is committed to working with Corey Ruiz’s family on a memorial at the intersection.
“I’m committed to realizing a positive vision in collaboration with Corey’s family for a memorial in that space so that our community will never forget,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Madison needs more hard conversations, and more hard work, to realize a better future. We must take the first step toward having those conversations in a realistic, non-destructive way. And that starts with voluntarily taking down the barricades, coming together to decide what comes next, and channeling our collective momentum toward a better Madison. I stand ready to work on the next phase. It’s time for the barricades to come down.”
A link to the mayor’s full statement can be found here.
The intersection of Baldwin Street and Williamson Street has remained closed since July 22 following an officer-involved shooting that killed Corey Ruiz.
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