Black Protesters Outside Milwaukee 2020 DNC Call Out Democrats

MILWAUKEE, WI — The start of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee Monday meant fewer demonstrators — yet a group made one of the loudest statements of the day when issuing a list of demands of the Democratic leaders they support.

A group of about 30-40 people associated with the Peoples' Movement of Milwaukee chanted, carried signs and stopped on Vel R. Phillips Ave. near a section of the 8-foot-tall security fence that encircles the Wisconsin Center.

There, Jeremiah Thomas led others in duct-taping a list of demands on the security fence before staging their evening rally.

"Growing up as a black man I was always taught 'democrat, democrat, democrat,' but the thing is we failed to do our research about the people we put into power," Thomas said to the group Monday evening. "We need to make sure that we are holding our democrats accountable for their actions. Although a lot of us are democrats, we also have to do the research on these democrats we put in power. That is very important."

Their list of demands for Democratic leaders included several points, such as improving dilapidated public housing in the city and across the U.S. "People are living in houses that people wouldn't even set foot in," he told the group.

Thomas also spoke of reparations for Black people. "A lot of people do not understand what reparations mean, it does not mean a handout," he said. "When we talk about reparations for black people that means helping black families financially catch up with their white counterparts."

When talking about defunding the police, Thompson brought up presumptive Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris and the Milwaukee police stationed just behind the security fence.

"We want to defend the people who are behind this gate right here because they work for a system that continues to criminalize and demonize black and brown people," he said. "A lot of people are proud of Kamala Harris, but the thing about Kamala Harris is that she supports the death penalty, and she also has a very toxic record of imprisoning black and brown men for petty crimes like possession of marijuana."