With President Barack Obama set to speak at the University of Wisconsin campus next week, students can expect tight security at the event location and surrounding areas, officials said.
The rally, which will take place Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 4:45 p.m. on Library Mall, will include Obama, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett, according to a release issued by the Democratic National Committee.
Musician Ben Harper will also play at the rally, the DNC said.
To ensure Obama’s safety, Resident Agent in Charge for the Secret Service John Hirt said students should expect security similar to that at an airport.
Members of the Secret Service will check backpacks and purses, Hirt said, with various items prohibited from Library Mall.
The prohibited items include weapons and sharp objects, as well as bottles with liquid and sticks for signs, Hirt said.
Even though sticks are not allowed with signs, Hirt said signs are still allowed.
Setup for the rally will take place at Library Mall starting on Sunday, but students will still be able to walk through the Mall until late Tuesday morning, Hirt said.
Buildings around the Mall will remain open Tuesday, Hirt said, including Memorial Library, Humanities, the Wisconsin Historical Society and Memorial Union.
UW spokesperson John Lucas said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald the buildings will not close to keep the day as normal as possible for students.
“Our priority is a safe and secure event for all involved,” Lucas said. “However, it is also a goal to minimize the disruption of a normal work or class day.”
Access to the buildings will be limited, however, with areas facing the Mall closed, he said.
For example, the Langdon Street entrances of Memorial Union will be closed and guarded by uniformed officers.
Measures such as this will help keep Obama safe, Hirt said, since people in the surrounding buildings will not have gone through security.
“The people inside those buildings are not magged,” Hirt said. “People could come out of one of those buildings with a gun and fire shots.”
The Secret Service will be assisted by the UW and Madison Police Departments, the Dane County Sheriffs and Wisconsin State Troopers, Hirt said.
In addition to building restrictions, Hirt said streets around the Mall will be closed due to the sheer volume of people anticipated to attend the event.
