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Mob Viciously Attacks State Senator Outside Capitol

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A violent spasm of destruction near the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison on Tuesday night left a state senator injured.

During the disturbance, rioters tore down two statues, including one of a Union army officer who was an abolitionist and died during the Civil War while trying to free the slaves, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The night of violence had its seeds in the arrest of Devonere Johnson, 28, who followed a man into a restaurant in Capitol Square shortly after noon on Tuesday while carrying a baseball bat, according to WKOW-TV.

Videos of the incident released by Madison police showed that Johnson, who is black, was using a bullhorn to call a white man “racist” as he followed the man into the Coopers Tavern.

WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers may find offensive.

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A struggle later ensued to take Johnson into custody.

Hours later, a crowd of demonstrators showed up at the Capitol to protest.

Democratic state Sen. Tim Carpenter photographed the crowd — and then paid the price.

“I don’t know what happened … all I did was stop and take a picture … and the next thing I’m getting five-six punches, getting kicked in the head,” Carpenter said.

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“This has got to stop before someone gets killed,” Carpenter later said in an email to The Washington Post. “Sad thing I’m on their side for peaceful demonstrations — am a Gay Progressive Dem Senator served 36 years in the legislature.”

One account said the attackers claimed Carpenter “provoked them.”

Rioters later smashed windows and lights at the Capitol and set a small fire by the Dane County jail.

One of the statues targeted for destruction was titled “Forward,” which is the state’s motto. The woman depicted represents progress.

The other statue destroyed was of Col. Hans Christian Heg, an abolitionist who died in the Civil War. Protesters severed the head of the statue from the body and threw the statue in a nearby lake.

By 1 a.m., once the destruction was complete, about 20 police officers in riot gear confronted the rioters and ordered them to disperse.

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Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
Location
New York City
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues




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