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| Wisconsin State Senator Says He Was Assaulted by Protesters in Madison | Wisconsin State Senator Says He Was Assaulted by Protesters in Madison |
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| A Wisconsin state senator said he was assaulted by protesters in Madison late Tuesday, amid demonstrations against racism and police violence around the city in which two statues were toppled. | A Wisconsin state senator said he was assaulted by protesters in Madison late Tuesday, amid demonstrations against racism and police violence around the city in which two statues were toppled. |
| The senator, Tim Carpenter, a Democrat who represents areas in Milwaukee, said that the incident took place after he took a cellphone video of protesters, who had been marching through downtown Madison for several hours. | The senator, Tim Carpenter, a Democrat who represents areas in Milwaukee, said that the incident took place after he took a cellphone video of protesters, who had been marching through downtown Madison for several hours. |
| Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin condemned the violence on Tuesday night, saying that Mr. Carpenter was “among the individuals attacked last night.” He said that the demonstrations “presented a stark contrast from the peaceful protests we have seen across our state in recent weeks,” adding that he was ready to activate the Wisconsin National Guard “to protect state buildings and infrastructure.” | Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin condemned the violence on Tuesday night, saying that Mr. Carpenter was “among the individuals attacked last night.” He said that the demonstrations “presented a stark contrast from the peaceful protests we have seen across our state in recent weeks,” adding that he was ready to activate the Wisconsin National Guard “to protect state buildings and infrastructure.” |
| Protesters on Tuesday brought down statues of an abolitionist, Hans Christian Heg, who died fighting for the Union in the Civil War, and a replica of Madison’s “Forward” figure, an allegorical work designed in the 1890s meant to embody the state’s motto. The demonstrations targeting those statues contrasted with similar protests in other cities and states where statues of Confederate and colonial figures have been removed by protesters or the authorities. | Protesters on Tuesday brought down statues of an abolitionist, Hans Christian Heg, who died fighting for the Union in the Civil War, and a replica of Madison’s “Forward” figure, an allegorical work designed in the 1890s meant to embody the state’s motto. The demonstrations targeting those statues contrasted with similar protests in other cities and states where statues of Confederate and colonial figures have been removed by protesters or the authorities. |
| Mr. Carpenter told The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he’d stopped to take a photo of the protests, and he posted a video on Twitter that showed a large group of protesters standing in the street near the Capitol shouting. Two protesters can be seen running over to Mr. Carpenter, and one grabs his phone. The camera swerves. | Mr. Carpenter told The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he’d stopped to take a photo of the protests, and he posted a video on Twitter that showed a large group of protesters standing in the street near the Capitol shouting. Two protesters can be seen running over to Mr. Carpenter, and one grabs his phone. The camera swerves. |
| “Leave my phone alone,” he can be heard saying. “Delete it!” a woman says. As news of the confrontation spread on social media, Mr. Carpenter tweeted that taking the images “got me assaulted & beat up” by eight to 10 people. He said that he may have had a concussion, that the vision in his left eye was blurry, and that he had a sore neck and ribs. | “Leave my phone alone,” he can be heard saying. “Delete it!” a woman says. As news of the confrontation spread on social media, Mr. Carpenter tweeted that taking the images “got me assaulted & beat up” by eight to 10 people. He said that he may have had a concussion, that the vision in his left eye was blurry, and that he had a sore neck and ribs. |
| “This has to stop before some innocent person get killed,” he tweeted early Wednesday. “I locked up in the Capitol until it’s safe.” | “This has to stop before some innocent person get killed,” he tweeted early Wednesday. “I locked up in the Capitol until it’s safe.” |
| Mr. Carpenter could not immediately be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Madison Police did not immediately respond to messages seeking more information. | Mr. Carpenter could not immediately be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Madison Police did not immediately respond to messages seeking more information. |
| A member of Mr. Carpenter’s office said its staff had no details about his condition on Wednesday morning. “He’s seeking medical attention at this time, that’s all we know,” he said. | A member of Mr. Carpenter’s office said its staff had no details about his condition on Wednesday morning. “He’s seeking medical attention at this time, that’s all we know,” he said. |
| In one photo shared by a reporter on social media, a man identified as Mr. Carpenter, in a blue T-shirt, appears to be in a confrontation with protesters. In others, he can be seen kneeling and lying on the ground. A local news station, WKOW 27, reported that he collapsed in front of its news crew and that they stayed with him until an ambulance arrived. | In one photo shared by a reporter on social media, a man identified as Mr. Carpenter, in a blue T-shirt, appears to be in a confrontation with protesters. In others, he can be seen kneeling and lying on the ground. A local news station, WKOW 27, reported that he collapsed in front of its news crew and that they stayed with him until an ambulance arrived. |
| In a statement to The Washington Post, Mr. Carpenter said, “Sad thing I’m on their side for peaceful demonstrations — am a Gay Progressive Dem Senator served 36 years in the legislature.” | In a statement to The Washington Post, Mr. Carpenter said, “Sad thing I’m on their side for peaceful demonstrations — am a Gay Progressive Dem Senator served 36 years in the legislature.” |
| Demonstrations have taken place in Madison for weeks, alongside those across the country, protesting police violence against black people in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody. On Tuesday night, they intensified after the arrest of a black activist, identified as Devonere Johnson by the police, at a restaurant near the Capitol. | Demonstrations have taken place in Madison for weeks, alongside those across the country, protesting police violence against black people in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody. On Tuesday night, they intensified after the arrest of a black activist, identified as Devonere Johnson by the police, at a restaurant near the Capitol. |
| Video of the arrest shared on social media showed officers struggling with the man on the sidewalk, including pulling him by the legs and carrying his body to force him into a police car. He briefly runs from the car, and is again caught. | Video of the arrest shared on social media showed officers struggling with the man on the sidewalk, including pulling him by the legs and carrying his body to force him into a police car. He briefly runs from the car, and is again caught. |
| The police released a video that they said shows the man speaking into a megaphone and holding a baseball bat in the restaurant. The department said in a statement that officers were trying to arrest him after “his actions inside the restaurant.” | The police released a video that they said shows the man speaking into a megaphone and holding a baseball bat in the restaurant. The department said in a statement that officers were trying to arrest him after “his actions inside the restaurant.” |
| The police later said that 200 to 300 people marched through downtown Madison late Tuesday night and into Wednesday, breaking windows at the City County Building and throwing a Molotov cocktail into it. Mr. Carpenter and at least one other person was attacked during the protest, said Alder Michael E. Verveer. | |
| Mr. Verveer said that protesters beheaded the statue of Heg and threw it into Lake Monona, and that they dragged the Forward statue down State Street. Police retrieved both statues on Wednesday and they are being held in a city facility. | |
| Mr. Evers said that protesters were prevented from entering the building by Capitol Police, and that demonstrators had done “significant damage” to state property. | Mr. Evers said that protesters were prevented from entering the building by Capitol Police, and that demonstrators had done “significant damage” to state property. |
| “Violence against any person — whether in the middle of the street in broad daylight, at home trying to sleep, going for a run, or happening upon a protest as was the case last night — is wrong,” the governor said in a statement. “Any single act of injustice against one person is less justice for all of us, and the people who committed these acts of violence will be held accountable.” | “Violence against any person — whether in the middle of the street in broad daylight, at home trying to sleep, going for a run, or happening upon a protest as was the case last night — is wrong,” the governor said in a statement. “Any single act of injustice against one person is less justice for all of us, and the people who committed these acts of violence will be held accountable.” |
| Ebony Anderson-Carter, one of the protesters, told The Madison State Journal that demonstrators tore down the statues because they did not feel that the state was doing enough to fight racial injustice. | Ebony Anderson-Carter, one of the protesters, told The Madison State Journal that demonstrators tore down the statues because they did not feel that the state was doing enough to fight racial injustice. |
| Displaying those statues in Madison creates a “false representation of what this city is,” Ms. Anderson-Carter said. | Displaying those statues in Madison creates a “false representation of what this city is,” Ms. Anderson-Carter said. |
| State Senator Roger Roth, the State Senate president, said in an interview that the city of Madison should not tolerate violent protests and needed to instill law and order. | State Senator Roger Roth, the State Senate president, said in an interview that the city of Madison should not tolerate violent protests and needed to instill law and order. |
| “They terrorized the Capitol,” he said. “What we need is for people to stand up and say there is a vast difference between peaceful, nonviolent protesters and these radical, woke mobs.” | “They terrorized the Capitol,” he said. “What we need is for people to stand up and say there is a vast difference between peaceful, nonviolent protesters and these radical, woke mobs.” |
| Jenny Gross contributed reporting. | Jenny Gross contributed reporting. |