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Police arrest student after protest

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by Nick Penzenstadler

Friday, April 20, 2007

Around 25 students protesting funding for the war in Iraq spent an uncomfortable, cold and edgy night in the office of Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., Wednesday and were forced out by Madison police early Thursday morning.

Only one lingering protester who refused to leave the office was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct and delivered a $424 fine, according to Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Mike Hansen.

After the organizers broke up, several Campus Antiwar Network members followed the individual where they continued to display their message.

"A group of us went down to the jail just to show support for him and had a sign to show the reason we were there," CAN member and UW junior Zach Heise said. "It said, 'Herb Kohl would rather have his constituents arrested than meet with us.'"

After rallying at Library Mall Wednesday, protesters proceeded down State Street to Kohl's office where they made several demands to bring troops home and stop funding, as well as a personal meeting with the senator.

According to CAN member and UW graduate student Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, the peaceful gathering took a stark turn sometime during the night when the 25 remaining members were corralled in a small room and separated from their belongings, including water and medicine.

"What happened really started last night when at a certain point in the evening, Kohl's staff took an increasingly harsh stance towards us," Wrigley-Field said. "To be honest, it seemed to be motivated out of spite."

However, Kohl's press secretary Joe Bonfiglio said any measures taken by MPD and Federal Protective Services were in the best interest of safety of both staff and protesters.

"Everything our staff did during the protest and through the night was trying to accommodate the protesters and the protest," Bonfiglio said. "Unfortunately, it became unorganized and aggressive, at one point you could say that the staff felt that their safety was threatened."

Bonfiglio added that the protest was "expletive-laden and aggressive towards staff and security" and the police removed the group Thursday morning only after calls from other businesses in the building that were disrupted by the noise.

Heise said Kohl's staff went back on their word after initially ensuring them of no police removal of protesters.

"They told us they have a policy to not arrest protesters," Heise said. "Obviously, they've changed that policy."

Earlier in the night Bonfiglio said CAN members negotiated for a videoconference with Kohl, but were not satisfied and continued the sit-in despite a written message from the senator.

Bonfiglio pointed out that several protesters had never attempted to contact the senator for a meeting before the event.

"The senator is accessible, and we do our best to accommodate folks who want to speak," Bonfiglio said. "There have been protests in the past, but they have never gotten to this point."

Laurel Franklin, CAN member and UW senior said Kohl is tough to get a hold of and only visits with constituents once a week.

"I've called in a couple times but personally, I've not tried to set up an appointment," Franklin said. "I've talked to people trying to get a hold for him for a year — I didn't think it was worth my time."

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Anonymous (April 20, 2007 @ 9:33am):

Is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking?

We have a student named Elizabeth Wrigley-Field? That's awesome.

Anonymous (April 20, 2007 @ 10:21am):

TO BE HONEST, it was motivated out of spite.

Haha, Anti-War! Yeah duuuuude! Doesn't it make you guys sad to know this campus doesn't give a fuck? ha.

Anonymous (April 20, 2007 @ 12:51pm):

"UW graduate student Elizabeth Wrigley-Field"

you guys sure you double checked that one?

Anonymous (April 20, 2007 @ 7:04pm):

"According to CAN member and UW graduate student Elizabeth Wrigley-Field"

Come on, Wrigley-Field? How creative!

Anonymous (April 21, 2007 @ 10:39am):

Check the student directory, y'all (or try google). That's a real student.

Anonymous (April 21, 2007 @ 11:33am):

for the non-believers:
http://www.wisc.edu/directories/?name=wrigley

Anonymous (April 21, 2007 @ 12:07pm):

she really exists! Look her up. That is absolutely AWESOME! I wonder if we have someone named Miller Park?

Anonymous (May 11, 2007 @ 7:41pm):

This girl is an idiot. In her parents' defense, she was dumb enough to later have her name changed to Wrigley-Field (although her parents are named Wrigley and Field, this hippie initially only carried the name Field). Only a non-Wisconsin native like Wrigley-Field could pull on act like the on Senator Kohl. The good Senator has done far too much for this state to take this kind of treatment from the likes of Wrigley-Field.

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