Madison Protesters Condemned For Toppling Statue Of Anti-Slavery Activist

TOPLINE

Protesters in Wisconsin drew condemnation late on Tuesday after tearing down the statue of abolitionist Hans Christian Heg, smashing windows at the state house and assaulting a state senator, marking a departure from previous demonstrations targeting symbols of colonizers and Confederate figures.

KEY FACTS

Key background

Tuesday night’s protests followed weeks of anti-racism protesters targeting racist symbols and toppling statues of colonizers, slave owners and confederate figures representing a legacy of racial injustice in the U.S. But the Madison protests drew criticism for targeting anti-slavery activist Heg. Born in Norway, Heg was an outspoken activist against slavery and died fighting for the Union during the Civil War.

News peg

Anti-racism protests have swept across the U.S. and other global cities for the past month, following the death of unarmed Black man George Floyd when white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The protests have been mostly peaceful, while monuments of racist figures and other publicly displayed symbols of oppression have become flashpoints in demonstrators’ urging reform and racial justice.

Further reading

Madison protesters tear down Capitol statues, attack state Senator from Milwaukee as fury erupts again (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Arrest of activist leads to protests; at least four vehicles strike protesters (Madison 365)