Students In Madison Jam State Capitol Building To Protest Killing Of Tony Robinson [Video]

Nearly 2,000 students in Madison took to the state capitol building on Monday to protest the fatal shooting of black teenager, Tony Robinson, 19, by a white police officer in Madison, Wisconsin.

Robinson’s cousin, Justice Muse, 14, told the Guardian he appreciated the efforts of protesters.

“It was great what they’re doing for him,” Muse said.

“It’s great how they’re trying to bring justice for him, and I’m happy with what they’re doing. I want to see the cop who killed him put in jail. I want to see him punished for his actions.”

Madison protesters were mostly high school and university students. They held up signs and chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot,” one of the few now-familiar phrases emerging from the Ferguson protests of the police slaying of Michael Brown last year.

After occupying the state capitol building, Madison protesters marched down State Street past the federal courthouse. They concluded the march at the Madison City County Building, where Robinson’s sister and representatives of the Young, Gifted, and Black Coalition asked to speak to Madison police chief Mike Koval.

Madison has had its share of protests at the capitol building during the past several years, most notably for series of demonstrations sparked in 2011 by governor Scott Walker’s plan to require public workers to pay more for their insurance and pensions.

More recently, the Black Lives Matter movement, which began as a hashtag in protest of the police fatally shooting Trayvon Martin in 2013, escalated with the acquittal of officer George Zimmerman in Martin’s death.

Madison is the latest city to experience a high-profile slaying of an unarmed black male by a white police officer.

According to the Guardian, Madison police responded to a call about a man jumping in and out of traffic and who was also involved in an alleged assault case. Madison police showed up at Robinson’s apartment last Friday, where they broke into his apartment after hearing a disturbance. Madison police veteran of 12 years, Matt Kenny, then shot Robison dead after he allegedly assaulted the officer.

Kenny was cleared of an officer-related shooting death of a Madison man in 2007.

Madison’s chief of police told reporters that he realizes the public’s may be linking the brutal events of Ferguson with Madison, but defended the actions of his officers.

“To the extent that you have, again, a person of color, unarmed, who subsequently loses his life at the hands of the police, I can’t very well distance myself from that brutal reality,” Koval said.

“What I can suggest, however, is that while I cannot castigate other shops, I can be proud of the [Madison] shop that I own.”

The Inquisitr reported on the shooting death of Tony Robinson in Madison last week.

[Image via missangiebeee/Instagram video]