Francesca Hong Begs for an End to Madison’s Autonomous Zone

Shortly after career criminal Cory Ruiz was shot by Madison, Wisconsin, police after he pulled a knife on officers, Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong got up in front of a crowd and called it an “execution.” That prompted the start of a Madison “autonomous zone” where police and first responders weren’t allowed to go, where businesses and homeowners were held hostage by left-wing activists, and where the city of Madison provided material support in the form of city vehicles to reinforce the walls.

Here’s a glimpse inside that zone.

Madison’s Autonomous Zone

Don’t let Marxists ruin your city, folks pic.twitter.com/Dbiv3PFVCO

— Daniel Buck, “Youngest Old Man in Ed Reform” (@MrDanielBuck) August 3, 2026

And independent journalist Nick Sotor was actually threatened in the zone.

It’s all a bad look for Hong’s campaign, of course, and now she knows it. She’s calling for an end to the autonomous zone.

My statement on next steps for the encampment in downtown Madison. pic.twitter.com/OExXCZCnaz

— Francesca Hong For Governor (@FrancescaHongWI) August 3, 2026

The statement reads (emphasis added):

Since Corey Ruiz was killed by police on July 22, I have been in close contact with city officials, local elected leaders, community organizers and neighbors who are working toward a peaceful resolution to the encampment [at] Williamson and Baldwin.

Our community is grieving and demanding accountability. Direct action and civil disobedience are valid forms of protest. At the same time, people need to access their homes and businesses. I have been working to connect organizers with resources and help address those immediate needs while supporting the right to demonstrate.

I support calls for a peaceful, community-led resolution. This cannot mean moving on from Corey’s death or abandoning the demand for justice, but we need a transition from the physical boundaries of the encampment to advocacy for durable change.

We must continue the deeper work of strengthening independent police oversight, investing in housing and homelessness services, and changing systems that allow injustice to persist. I also support creating a permanent, community-designed memorial honoring Corey and other victims of police violence in our neighborhood.

I will remain engaged with neighbors, organizers, and local leaders as we work toward a solution that prevents further harm while keeping the focus on accountability and lasting change. This is not an end to the work, but an opportunity for it to grow beyond the physical space.

Let’s translate this: “Please stop protesting, because it’s hurting my campaign.”

Also, there are a few other things we need to point out about this statement. First, the statement dropped the preposition before “Williamson and Baldwin,” which doesn’t help Hong look smart. There is nothing peaceful about the encampment, and the police officer involved in the shooting has received death threats, and leftists are threatening to rape and murder his family, too.

“Direct action” is a communist code phrase for violence. When the Left refers to “direct action,” it involves violent behavior, vandalism, and things like blocking traffic. Those are not valid forms of protest and are not protected by the First Amendment.

When she wants a “community-led resolution,” she is referring not to the legal process and the justice system, but to the activists in Madison getting their way, which means arresting and jailing the officer without a trial and without looking at the evidence. 

Hong also took an opportunity to push her “public safety” plan which involves spending billions of our tax dollars on social programs that do not stop violence. Ruiz had 42 prior convictions, including for felonies. That’s not a welfare problem; that’s a behavior problem. And as we’ve pointed out, Ruiz was freed from prison in May and was non-compliant with the terms of his release. If he had been in prison where he belonged, he’d still be alive. She also wants to set up a memorial to a career criminal in the community.

Socialists always pick the worst heroes.

The biggest red flag is this line: “changing the systems that allow injustice to persist.”

That’s Hong’s way of saying defund the police and abolish prisons without saying those actual words.

You are a poison in the body politic.

— Jack Bauer after dark 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JackBauerAD) August 3, 2026

Yes.

Civil disobedience and direct action are acceptable forms of protest according to who?

— Mitchell Wexler (@MitchWex) August 3, 2026

Leftist socialists like Hong.

The person accountable for getting himself shot is dead.

— Jay (@jayhup) August 3, 2026

Yes.

The best part about this is her own socialist comrades will turn against her, too, and they’re already starting to.

A DSA candidate should not be calling for the people to stop their resistance against the police after they killed a man on that street. https://t.co/OY8Gg3rKwZ

— Roberto 🌹🇵🇸 (@r0berto_mid_5) August 3, 2026

That’s hilarious and richly deserved.

I cannot stress enough how much everyone in Madison who does not own property or a small business supports the encampment. Its why the city and business owners are all quietly trying to dismantle it from within and keeping the issue focused on the encampment over actual justice. https://t.co/WMQ16sLbnK

— MalaisePosting (@MalaisePosting) August 3, 2026

Let the socialist in-fighting begin.

As a life long, dues paying member of the DSA, Hong has officially absconded her responsibilities as the leader of our state movement.

She has abandoned us for the establishment.

Viva la CRAZ https://t.co/3xj8uCbrsU

— Shadow Governor Vos (@Robin_Vos_Stan) August 3, 2026

This post is sarcasm, but it captures how the Left is going to respond to this.

There is no way Hong wins on this issue. She encouraged the encampment, and now she’s realized it’s harming her campaign. But in calling for the dismantling of the autonomous zone, she’s alienating her radical base. We’ll see if Madison and the encampment dwellers do Hong a favor by packing up and leaving, but Hong shouldn’t get her hopes up.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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