High school students in Madison, Wisc., staged a walkout at the state capitol building on Monday in the aftermath of the shooting death of unarmed 19-year-old Tony Robinson. He was shot dead by a white police officer on Friday evening, resurrecting unrest and reviving the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag and call to action.
The hashtags #justice4tony and #TonyRobinson have also gathered steam on social media, and that quest for justice came to life Monday morning in Madison. Parents, friends and the students who walked out of school gathered outside East High School for a moment of silence and some words from organizers before setting off for the Wisconsin State Capitol Building, an approximately 45 minute walk.
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Moment of silence at first and E Wash #justice4tony pic.twitter.com/92QXUfIX7R
— Rebecca Kemble (@rebeccakemble) March 9, 2015
The participants peacefully chanted and danced their way there.
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Once the group arrived at the capitol building, they prepared for entry.
#justice4tony pic.twitter.com/BXC2ZOG9fo
— Rebecca Kemble (@rebeccakemble) March 9, 2015
“@itsghastlycrew: The new Capitol occupiers #justice4tony #BlackLivesMatter http://t.co/mO8DU1QdRe“
— Marjorie Sloan (@kentuckyviews) March 9, 2015
Showing out
Fine af
✊
The parents formed a protective perimeter around the students, who did not have a permit to protest.
https://twitter.com/wnkramer/status/574991254985007105
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Adults supporting kids right to protest #fergusontomadison #BlackLivesMatter #justice4tony pic.twitter.com/lUlouqzjvv
— Kelda Roys (AidAccess.org) (@keldahelenroys) March 9, 2015
Once they inside the building, protesters filled the building’s multiple levels. Chants of “black lives matter” and “I believe that we will win” echoed in the capitol building’s rotunda.
Students take over OUR HOUSE #BlackLivesMatter #justice4tony #FergusonToMadison pic.twitter.com/4MsMcFbHGC
— Charity Schmidt (@MadtownCharity) March 9, 2015
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Even younger students participated in the march for justice.
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Then they headed to City Hall, where they staged a sit-in and asked Madison Mayor Paul Soglin to talk to them.
Students sitting in power on MLK Blvd at City County Bldg demanding justice for #TonyRobinson : 2,000 #Justice4Tony #BlackLivesMatter # …
— Abolition Strategies: police, bail, cages, borders (@NinosIndex) March 9, 2015
mayor, come meet with us. #justice4tony #tonyrobinson #blacklivesmatter #madison pic.twitter.com/1Nr15xKXFz
— Sasha W. (@sashawtweets) March 9, 2015
Mayor Soglin then came out to address them, saying via megaphone “In too many instances, the wrong options were selected.”
https://twitter.com/wnkramer/status/575004677152055296
As of 1:53 CST, the protests were dispersing.
Photo via Teemu008/Flickr (CC 2.0)
