UW-Madison: No More Anti-Black Racism on Campus

On April 14, 2016 during UW Madison Professor, Dr. Johanna F. Almiron’s Afro-American Studies Class, Black Visual Culture, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department ambushed the classroom, and removed a young black male student from the class. Upon confrontation, the student agreed to leave his seat and subsequently was detained and arrested outside of the classroom and taken to the Dane County Jail, where supporters later posted his bail. The student has been accused of 11 counts of vandalism for putting graffiti on buildings that directly confronts the racism faced by students like him on campus. He was also charged with one count of disorderly conduct.

We denounce UWPD’s deplorable actions and ask for immediate accountability from campus administration, particularly Chancellor Rebecca Blank. We also ask that regardless of the outcome of the charges against him that the student be given immunity from expulsion for his actions and be allowed to graduate on time this May.

"The university is more interested in protecting the symbols of UW as a progressive institution like their buildings and Bucky rather than the students who are actually fighting for social change, and apparently their lives," said Dr. Almiron. "The way UWPD officers entered my class was very aggressive with bullet proof vests and guns visible. I cannot believe they humiliated and terrified my students. The fact that our classrooms are not respected as spaces of learning is absolutely appalling."

"Perhaps because the class deals with ethnic studies content and social justice issues, UWPD did not consider Dr. Almiron’s classroom worthy of its respect," said Dr. Karma Chávez, associate professor of Communication Arts. "UWPD did not recognize Dr. Almiron’s authority in the classroom, nor did they even acknowledge her as the professor when she tried to intervene. This is The Real UW."

UWPD’s actions happen in the midst of an unprecedented number of reported racist incidents on campus, and as students of color have been sharing their stories of racism at UW on numerous media outlets via the hashtag, #therealUW.

According to reports, UWPD tried numerous times to make contact with the student for his alleged violations. UWPD reports that arresting the student in his class was a last resort. We find this rationale unacceptable. Even the rash of violent crimes on campus such as rape and sexual assault have not warranted this kind of response. This charge was for vandalism. To arrest him in his Afro-American studies classroom, in front of his professor and his classmates goes well beyond the call of duty. We can only wonder if the content of the graffiti under question, which challenges police violence and racism on campus, serves as a rationale for UWPD’s use of such a public display of force.

We refuse to be silent in the face of this incident that we understand as related to the many individual and structural racist incidents that have recently happened on UW Madison’s campus.

"Racism is in the air, don’t breathe."
"White Supremacy is a disease."