MILWAUKEE — Area activist groups like North Side Rising, Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, Milwaukee Socialist Alternative, and others organized a march and car caravan Sunday in Milwaukee to stand against the riots at the U.S. Capitol last week.
"No one should be surprised about what happened in D.C. because it was brewing up for years," said Christian Cocroft, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
"The people who are angry about this situation need to seize the time and get up and organize and get involved," said Cocroft.
Around 11 a.m. the group gathered at Milwaukee's Summerfest grounds. While some drove, others marched on foot with signs and bullhorns to the federal courthouse on E. Wisconsin Avenue where many spoke on the steps.
"What we're here to do is show that we can do the same but we're peaceful," said Ian Gunther with Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) -- one of the groups that organized the event.
"We need to show solidarity with each other. We need to show we can ban together as well," Gunther continued.
With bullhorns and signs, people called for economic relief during this pandemic, an end to police crimes and they demanded the removal of President Donald Trump and the resignation of Republican Senator Ron Johnson, whose Milwaukee office, is at the federal courthouse, the march's destination.
"He represents a lot of what's going bad in this country," Gunther said.
"We're demanding his resignation," he continued.
TMJ4 News reached out to Senator Johnson's office for a comment Sunday and a spokesperson from Johnson's team directed us to the statement Johnson released on Thursday.
In addition to that statement, TMJ4's Charles Benson also spoke with Johnson last week.
"Tens of millions of Americans are suspicious of the result of this election and they have a lot of reasons to be suspicious," said Senator Johnson.
The Senator also condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol. Watch the entire interview with Senator Johnson here.
The Milwaukee Police Department and The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office were on hand in case anything got out of control Sunday, but they didn't need to get involved as the event was peaceful.
The ACLU had volunteers present as well. They were legal observers, serving as witnesses in case anything escalated between people and police.
