Bank protest this Friday

Here are recent developments in the court cases of the eleven people arrested during the December 6, 2019 Global Climate Strike/Wells Fargo Bank sit-in in Milwaukee. When they were arrested, the women and men were separated by gender and taken in police vans to two different precincts for “processing” on December 6.

Because of time conflicts between their school or work commitments, three of the women paid the $187 fine before the February 3, 2020 court date, so their cases are closed.

At the February 3, 2020 court appearance, Emily Bell, the attorney, representing the remaining eight defendants (pro-bono) learned that the paperwork for the four male defendants had been “lost in the system.” The males were given letters indicating that they would not be charged unless the records appeared within two years. During the court appearance, because a representative of the City Attorney was not available to bargain with, the attorney entered a plea of Not Guilty and the case was rescheduled for February 21 for the four remaining women defendants.

At the February 21, 2020 court appearance, the charges for the four women were changed from trespassing to disorderly conduct and the fine was reduced to $90.

That same day, at least one of the men received a letter with a new court date of April 20 – Earth Week!

The total fines for these eleven people will be between about $1300 and $1700 depending on the eventual fines for the men. Please help defray the personal cost to them by contributing - see below.

Note also that this group agreed they would not promise to forego engaging in another non-violent direct action in the next year, which could have been a bargaining chip. If anything, they want to step up their action.

On Dec. 6, 2019, The People's Climate Coalition held a rally and demonstration in downtown Milwaukee in accordance with the International Youth Climate Strikes and the Sunrise Movement National Climate Strikes. On that day eleven individuals were arrested during a peaceful sit-in protesting fossil fuel financing by Wells Fargo Bank.

The eleven people arrested are members of the People's Climate Coalition @PCC.MKE (in addition to other Milwaukee climate groups). These eleven people (many of whom are students) will have total fines between about $1300 and $1700 depending on the eventual fines for the men.

You weren't arrested, but you can contribute by donating to help with their fines at PCC.MKE at the Action Network

Please donate $5, $10, or more. Your help will go towards the fines of these eleven people.

Thank you,
350 Milwaukee