Day 10 of Milwaukee’s protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd, began with a march organized by the Milwaukee Bucks that brought an estimated 7,500 people to the city’s lakefront on Sunday.
Among the demonstrators were Bucks majority owner Marc Lasry, president Peter Feigin, senior vice president Alex Lasry, and a number of players including Sterling Brown, Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Robin and Brook Lopez, Wesley Matthews and Ersan İlyasova.
The Bucks said the 1.5-mile march, from the plaza outside Fiserv Forum to Veterans Park, was held to support social justice.
“We making something great happen, we making something positive happen that is heard around the world,” said Bucks player Sterling Brown as part of brief remarks he made before the march began. “You got different countries coming together and fighting and standing for something. As we march today, let’s be loud, let’s be heard, let us be know.
In 2018, Brown was arrested by a group Milwaukee police officers over a parking violation in a Walgreens parking lot. During the arrest, the officers forced Brown to the ground and tased him several times. The incident sparked an internal investigation, and a civil right lawsuit against the city that is still pending.
Leading the march alongside the Bucks were Nate Hamilton, the brother of Dontre Hamilton, who was killed by a Milwaukee Police officer in 2014, and local activist Frank Nitty.
Police Chief Alfonso Morales and other Milwaukee police officers also joined the group, but departed Veterans Park after being confronted by protesters about recent controversy surrounding crowd control tactics during demonstrations.
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- The Bucks’s march started in front of Fiserv Forum and headed east on Juneau Avenue, making its way to Veterans Park.
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- Bucks owner Marc Lasry on the plaza in front of Fiserv Forum before the march starts.
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- Local activist Frank Nitty and Bucks player Brook Lopez on the plaza in front of Fiserv Forum, which is where the march started.
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- Bucks player Ersan İlyasova (left), Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry (center) and Bucks owner Marc Lasry (left).
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- Bucks player Robin Lopez (far left) Bucks owner Marc Lasry (second from left), and Bucks player Sterling Brown (far right) march down Juneau Avenue.
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- Bucks player Sterling Brown leads group in chants of “no justice, no peace.”
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- The Bucks march grew in size to about 7,500 people by the time it reached Veterans Park.
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- Nate Hamilton (left), the brother of Dontre Hamilton who was killed by a Milwaukee police officer in 2014, and local activist Frank Nitty (center) lead the group in chants.
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- Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo overlooks the massive crowd who marched from Fiserv Forum to Veterans Park Sunday.
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- Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks president Peter Feigin.
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- Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales and other officers were told by protestors at Veterans Park to “go home.”
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- After the Bucks group culminated at Veterans Park, demonstrators continued on to join other groups nearby.
Peaceful demonstrations continued across the city Sunday afternoon, with an accessible march for people of all abilities and a Pride march for Black Lives Matter. Protesters from the Bucks’ march spilled into both those groups.
By early evening, people from all three groups had merged into a smaller march, which continued around downtown Milwaukee and eventually headed north out of the city via Oakland Avenue.
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- The Pride march for Black Lives Matter concluded outside the Summerfest grounds main gate.
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- Diversity & Resilient, a local LGBTQ public health nonprofit organization, set up shop at the intersection of 2nd and National with snacks for protestors. One organizer Anthony Harris said all the supplies was donated.
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- Two employees of Steny’s Tavern & Grill in Walker’s Point handing out “fuel” to protestors marchers.
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- More than 1,000 protestors stopped at National Avenue and 2nd Street kneel in silence for nine minutes in honor of George Floyd.
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- Volunteers handing out water and first aid to marchers.
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- Onlookers inside Steny’s Tavern & Grill.
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- Derek Collins, co-owner of Milwaukee Pedal Tavern and Paddle Tavern, hands out water bottles to protestors on North 2nd Street.
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- Pride march for Black Lives Matter rounds the corner of West Pittsburgh Avenue, crossing into the Historic Third Ward from Walker’s Point.
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- Milwaukee singer/songwriter Lex Allen was among the Pride march for Black Lives Matter, which began and ended outside the Summerfest grounds’ main gate.
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- More demonstrations took place Sunday evening across downtown.
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- A group of protestors heads north on Lincoln Memorial Drive Sunday evening.
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- A few demonstrators from an accessible march that took place on Sunday afternoon.
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- Protestors march past the Milwaukee Art Museum.
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- Protestors on foot and in cars took over Lincoln Memorial Drive Sunday night, while police blocked I-94 off ramps behind the group.
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- Sunday’s peaceful protests across Milwaukee lasted all afternoon and into the evening.
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- Boarded up windows at Marcus Corp.’s Saint Kate Arts Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.
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- The sunsets over Milwaukee as a caravan of protestors travel north on Lincoln Memorial Drive.
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- Graduates of Shorewood High School speak to the group gathered Sunday evening at Veterans Park.
Get more news and insight in the May 25 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. Subscribe to get updates in your inbox here.
