Over the weekend, various left-wing protesters continued their siege of Madison following an officer-involved shooting of an armed suspect. Corey Durrell Ruiz, 38, was shot after he pulled a knife on police who had stopped him following calls of a suspect trying to break into cars.
Advertisement
Ruiz has a long rap sheet with more than 40 prior arrests, including for felony charges. He was cut loose from prison in May and reportedly was non-compliant with the terms of his supervised release.
Townhall’s Larry O’Connor had a good summary of the fiasco.
Madison City Council President Sabrina Madison wants the officer who shot Ruiz arrested, even though her city council has repeatedly voted against body-worn cameras for officers.
Democrat Madison City Council President Sabrina Madison goes on CNN to say the officer who fatally shot Corey Ruiz should be arrested
She disregards that the man had a knife and:
– Was checking car doors and stealing bikes
– He was a career criminal with 40 convictions
– Former… pic.twitter.com/6yjblZkF83— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) July 27, 2026
“I do think he should be arrested,” Madison said. “Why is the option to shoot him, why is that the appropriate option to take?”
While there weren’t full-blown riots, protesters have blocked streets and were blocking the entrances of businesses and harassing citizens who were out and about in the city over the weekend.
This is @FrancescaHongWI’s Wisconsin.
Harassing innocent people and hurting small businesses isn’t the right way to protest.
Coming to a town near you if the Democrat Socialists win. pic.twitter.com/7r3HQr9RsY
— Eric Bott (@EricJBott) July 26, 2026
Advertisement
That’s the biggest and most important takeaway here is that Francesca Hong encouraged this unrest. Hours after Ruiz was killed, she summarily called it an “execution” without any evidence. She wants to defund the police, wants to abolish prisons, and wants to let career criminals like Ruiz run our streets.
Protesters were reportedly targeting “businesses that were being racist to black people,” e.g. white-owned businesses.
Racist Woke BLM rioters in Madison caught on video discussing how they’re ONLY going to target WHITE-owned businesses.
“Our goal is to show up to the businesses that were being racist to black people, that have been racist to black people.” aka be White owned… as seen in the… pic.twitter.com/EE1mw9slS2
— zach bitango (@ZachBitango) July 26, 2026
This included Whiskey Jacks Saloon.
Madison protesters are claiming they chose Whiskey Jacks Saloon because they have been racist toward black people. https://t.co/LrPyp5nIWO
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Opinions (@jsonlinemkebs) July 26, 2026
The protesters stuck bullhorns in the faces of business owners, employees, and patrons.
Madison Protestor berates patron of Whiskey Jacks with Megaphone.
This is crazy. pic.twitter.com/Xe7SvECmsm
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Opinions (@jsonlinemkebs) July 27, 2026
We don’t know if this was thousands of protesters, but it was certainly hundreds.
Advertisement
HAPPENING NOW
Thousands of protesters are occupying Madison’s State Street and vowing to shut down businesses as a way to demand justice for Corey Ruiz.I am live now @StatusCoup pic.twitter.com/96ZKz3tPGy
— JT Cestkowski (@JTCestkowski) July 26, 2026
These are the same tactics that were used in 2020 and the BLM riots.
Madison, Wisc. (July 25) — BLM radicals and leftists are using the same tactics from 2020 where they are trying to shut down random businesses and prevent people from accessing them. The agitators are mobilizing and calling for violence after violent thug and deadbeat dad Corey…
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 26, 2026
Yet none of these people will be charged with disorderly conduct.
BLM protestors blocking people from bars in Madison last night
Zero “disorderly conduct” charges pic.twitter.com/sJgUXJPObf
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 26, 2026
Wisconsin voters need to understand this will happen in every city if we elect Francesca Hong as governor or give control of the legislature to the Democrats.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
National Headline