Madison police officers sprayed pepper spray at antiwar protesters Thursday after a group of people became upset after police arrested a protester.
The demonstration began with speeches protesting against the war in Library Mall at noon. The protesters then walked around the university campus until reaching the U.S. Army Recruiting Center located in University Square.
Protesters ripped pamphlets outside of the building and shouted, “We support the soldiers; bring the soldiers home.” A few individuals lit pamphlets on fire until the Madison Police Department intervened.
According to the police report, Madison police confronted Justin B. Bendall and placed him under arrest after his resistance.
According to UW graduate student Tim Hansel, Bendall used a “passive-aggressive” resistance approach.
It is estimated between 20 and 30 protesters followed the police officers, who had Ivan D. Welander in their custody. The crowd began pulling an officer’s arm in an attempt to free Bendall, according to police, who said protesters then began lying down to obstruct their path.
When the crowd continued to surround the officers, pepper spray was used on people who attempted to interfere with the arrest, according to police.
The crowd then dispersed and officers were able to escort Bendall to a secure location.
Welander, carrying an eight-inch knife, still continued to interfere with officers after pepper spray was applied, according to police.
Welander was charged with obstructing an officer and carrying a concealed weapon. Bendall was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Some protesters involved in the pepper-spray incident were outraged at what they said was excessive force by the Madison police.
“There should be a better reaction to these situations, and the police got out of control,” said Eriq Theis, a member of the Stop the War organization and a student at MATC.
“A group of us went off and were just following,” Hansel said. “I was sprayed and couldn’t see after that.”
Hansel denied the crowd following the police turned violent and was making sure Bendall would not be subject to “police brutality.”
A representative of this U.S. Army Recruiting Center, which was empty at the time, said he was unable to comment on behalf of the center. The building was locked for the rest of the day.
After the incident in University Square, the majority of the crowd dispersed. However, approximately 50 people marched down State Street and began collecting bail money for the two arrested. The protesters walked to the Dane County Jail and sat outside until the two were bailed out at $1,250 each.
According to John Peck, graduate student and Madison Area General Defense committee member, enough money was raised to bail the two protesters out of jail.
Peck said the hearing will be April 3 and said he believes the charges will be dropped because of their “obscurity.”
Approximately 200 to 300 protesters participated in the event, which began with speakers from Stop the War!, the Student Muslim Association and a political-science professor.
“There is a strong care of people against the war,” said senior Bill Linville of the Stop the War organization.
The day began with a moment of silence to remember those “who are needlessly dead” and to warn citizens this is not a “reality-based TV show.”
Amongst the crowd of antiwar protesters, one University of Wisconsin student chose to show his support for the war by wearing an American flag around his shoulders.
“This flag means a lot to people, including me,” UW senior Ryan Holtz said. “I just wanted to show in the newspapers that there is someone out there supporting the war.”