Protesters are blocking traffic on Johnson Street at Franklin Street right now in Madison.

“Get off your ass, and march with me,” protesters chant. Heading down Franklin Street now.

Protesters are heading down East Washington Avenue now.

Protesters are gathering in the intersection of East Washington Avenue and Blair Street.

Marching down Blair Street now.

Protesters just poured beer and water over a car on Blair Street, after yelling at the female driver.

Protesters are marching through stopped traffic on Blair Street.

“Free Yeshua” has been among protesters’ chants so far.

This demonstration started at the Dane County Jail a few hours ago in part because of the arrest of a Black activist earlier today. Background on that incident here: https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/black-activist-arrested-taken-to-ground-by-police-after-disturbance-in-madison-restaurant/article_8356b4c1-4dbf-52ff-9d5b-cadb98bf5356.html

Protesters are now taking over the intersection of Blair Street and Williamson Street.

I just saw a red car just speed through a small crowd of protesters.

Police came over right away to make sure everyone was OK. Protesters are OK with the police presence because the officers are “doing their job.”

Here’s an interaction between protesters and the officer.

A paramedic is here right now to make sure that the man who was hit by the car is okay.

Officers who stayed to check on the protesters said other officers went after the red car.

Protesters are marching on John Nolen drive now. Police are redirecting traffic.

Protesters are now stopped at the intersection of Henry and Wilson Street and are standing on top of what looks to be a tow truck.

“Whose truck, our truck,” protesters are now chanting while organizers stand on top of the tow truck.

“This is not a peaceful protest, so if you came out here for a peaceful protest you missed it,” one organizer says. “We’re done being peaceful. Now we demanding justice.”

Any protesters who aren’t okay with that were encouraged to go home.

Protesters are now gathered outside of the Nolen Shore condos on S. Hamilton Street chanting, “I don’t get no sleep cuz of y’all, you don’t get no sleep cuz of me.”

Heading back toward Wilson Street now.

“We just got word that the police are gearing up,” one organizer says. “So get ready.”

White allies are forming a human perimeter around Black protesters.

Despite the heightened rhetoric and energy tonight, the protest has remained largely peaceful. No property damage or vandalism that I have seen so far.

White protesters have formed a barrier around Black protesters (and the tow truck) at the intersection of Henry and Wilson Streets.

Protesters have a wheelbarrow filled with large rocks and bricks.

“Should we give ‘em back their truck?” one organizer asks.
“No!” the crowd shouts back.

Just to be clear, this is the intersection of W. Wilson Street, S. Henry Street AND S. Hamilton Street.

“If this is not for you go home,” one organizer says, explaining that the purpose of tonight is to not get brushed away.

“I will fight and die for every single one of you,” one organizer says. “Will you die for me?”
“Yes!” the crowd responds.

Protesters seem to be organizing to start marching down South Hamilton Street toward the Capitol.

“Who ready to fuck some shit up?” one organizer says.

Organizers are telling media to get out of the area, and telling protesters to put all of their phones and Facebook live sessions away.

Still largely peaceful so far. I have been a bit at a distance, but have not seen any property damage or vandalism.

On the move toward the Capitol now, chanting “I’m mad, I’m angry.”

At the steps of the Capitol at the top of State Street now.

Protesters have chains around the Forward statue and are trying to knock it down.

Protesters have been trying to tear down the Forward statue with chains, yelling “Heave, Ho.” Not successful so far.

Forward statute just came down.

Protesters just tore down the Forward statue on the steps of the Capitol in Madison.

Here is a video of it that is not sideways:

The Forward statue is now in the middle of Mifflin Street.

Protesters poured baking soda over the statue’s face. Not sure what the significance of that is.

Protesters just tore down another statue on the other side of the Capitol, Hans Christian Heg.

Protesters are rolling the statue down Main Street.

*Dragging the Heg statue, now down Butler Street.

Protesters just dumped the Hans Christian Heg statue into Lake Monona.

A few protesters just beat a man up and smashed the windows of his car, after the man rammed into a person’s bike, then came out of his car walking towards protesters with his fists raised.

I saw the man on the ground curled up in a ball.

Some protesters said “that’s enough” and called over a medic to help the man.

He’s seen yelling as protesters leave in this video. Seems physically OK, but not sure. He drove away before I could get his name. Car was a blue Mini Cooper.

Protesters are marching down East Washington Avenue now, back toward the Capitol.

I had to take a break for a bit to pee and get some water. Heading back over to the demonstration now.

Protesters are on State Street now at the intersection of Fairchild.

. @sgirard9 tells me that there was a loud bang earlier, and the crowd scattered. Now they are regathered.

Unclear what the bang was.

The Forward statue is now in the middle of the State Street, Dayton and Fairchild intersection.

Protesters just shattered the front entrance windows of the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership. You can hear the windows still shattering in the background.

Protesters are outside of the Downtown Madison Police Station and Dane County Jail chanting, “Free Yeshua!”

One demonstrator is trying to knock down a street camera that is attached to a light pole. Someone just said, “spray paint!”

A protester just climbed up onto a light pole and spray painted over a street camera.

Others knocked off one camera that was on the side of the Public Safety Building and spray painted a third camera.

Protesters just lit a garbage can on fire and something inside of a window of the Madison Police Station. Fire inside the window was very small. Hard to see in photos.

Wisconsin State Senator Tim Carpenter was just attacked by protesters, @lawrencegandrea reports.

https://twitter.com/lawrencegandrea/status/1275657294903197697?s=21 https://twitter.com/lawrencegandrea/status/1275657294903197697

Protesters are now trying to break the windows and doors of the Capitol building.

There’s been no visible police presence around the crowd so far tonight.

Protesters shattered these lights by the Capitol building.

Police in full riot gear are here now on South Hamilton Street, telling protesters to “leave the area immediately.”

“We the people, have had enough,” protesters chant.

Protesters are now chanting, “Free Yeshua,” at the line of police.

“You are unlawfully out here, leave the area immediately,” police say.

Protesters are now laying on the ground in front of police.

Crowd is approaching police now. It’s thinned out a lot over the last hour. Probably just over 100 people here now.

Crowd is standing off with police now, chanting, “This is not a riot, this is a revolution.”

Police say this is an “unlawful gathering.”

“You are the ones that are unlawful,” one protesters says back to police.

“Please don’t mace me,” protesters chant.

This is the first major visible police presence at protests in Madison since the overnight hours of June 1.

Protesters are breaking formation now, some heading home after organizers said they could come back out tomorrow.

“If you don’t go home, you’re not a part of this movement,” one organizer says.