About two dozen activists, students and professors met in Vilas Hall Tuesday to listen to University of Wisconsin Police Department Chief Susan Riseling discuss how UWPD is working to address the campus’ racial climate.
The discussion came in the wake of the classroom arrest of 21-year-old UW student Denzel McDonald. McDonald was arrested in connection with a string of graffiti on campus buildings that was intended to highlight a negative racial climate at UW.
[UPDATED] UWPD arrests student during class over graffiti highlighting racism on campus
Graffiti condemning racism appears at three campus locations
Riseling noted how Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s public display of racially-charged ignorance has given some in society license to do the same.
“I think part of this is fueled by a leading presidential candidate … who’s talking about building walls,” she said. “It’s what we call in the police department as the ‘Trump effect’ … [People have] confused rudeness for truth.”
[UPDATED] UWPD releases body camera footage from student’s graffiti-related arrest
In addition, Riseling said each fall UW’s campus welcomes two distinctive groups of freshmen. For one group, Madison will be the most diverse setting they have ever lived in. For the second group, Madison will be the least diverse setting they’ve ever lived in.
Riseling said the “Trump effect” combined with the mixing of the two groups of students results in the ignorant and vindictive acts seen on campus.
“I think one of the struggles we all have is when is it truly vindictive and when is it truly an accident or a mistake,” she said.
Alix Shabazz, a community organizer for Freedom, Inc., an organization that works to address issues facing communities of color in Dane County, read a list of demands to Riseling.
Freedom Inc. called on the chief to absolve McDonald’s charges on the ground that his civil rights were violated, for the resignation of the officers and administration involved in the decision to contact McDonald in a classroom setting and for a restructuring of UWPD to allow for community control over the department.
Students told Riseling they do not feel safe on UW’s campus and, after Thursday’s incident, they no longer feel safe in their classrooms.
Catasha Davis, a UW School of Journalism graduate student, said Thursday’s arrest sent the message to white students that it is OK to terrorize black students.
“I have been called the n-word walking down the street,” Davis said. “I wear my headphones everyday, right, so that if someone calls me the n-word again, I can act like I don’t hear it.”
Riseling said she would look at the students’ requests, but stressed if they want to make changes they should vote because state legislation is what determines the community’s control over the police and level of crime for offenses.
