Madison Mayor Satya-Rhodes Conway Clears Encampment Following Corey Ruiz Shooting
Madison Mayor Satya-Rhodes Conway oversaw the clearing of a city encampment that had occupied the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin Streets for nearly two weeks. The site, which served as a memorial for Corey Ruiz, a 38-year-old Black man who was allegedly killed by a Madison police officer, became a volatile situation for local businesses and residents. To restore traffic flow, the city deployed heavy machinery and police in riot gear to clear the area early Tuesday morning. While some rioters threw rocks and set fires, city officials worked to move memorial objects into a boxes for transport to a nearby park. Mayor Satya-Rhodes Conway noted that the city attempted to resolve the occupation peacefully before resorting to law enforcement intervention. The move was met with mixed reactions from community members. While some residents appreciated the restoration of the thoroughfare, civil rights activists criticized the city's decision to make the site an unlawful assembly. The city plans to work with the Ruiz family to create a permanent memorial space.