Madison Police Clear Protest Camp After Fatal Shooting

City crews and the Wisconsin State Patrol cleared a protest encampment at the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets in Madison on August 4, 2026. The operation began around 4:45 a.m. and escalated after protesters lit fires, leading police in riot gear and firefighters to intervene. By 7:00 a.m., authorities had arrested 10 people, and one protester was hospitalized.

Satya Rhodes-Conway, the Mayor of Madison, had previously demanded the immediate closure of the site, calling the occupation not sustainable or safe. The encampment was established on July 22 following the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Corey Ruiz by a Madison police officer. While police allege Ruiz injured an officer with a knife during a struggle, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the death as a homicide. Four officers have been placed on administrative leave.

Prior to the forced clearing, some local officials, including Dane County Board Supervisor Yogesh Chawla and Alder Davy Mayer, advocated for a voluntary, community-led process to remove barricades and establish a permanent memorial for Ruiz. However, protest security member Maleyk Mason vowed that demonstrators would remain at the site. In response to the unrest, Rhodes-Conway announced she would include funding for officer body-worn cameras in her next budget, noting that the department currently lacks them.