Wisconsin lawyers file University of Wisconsin public records request seeking answers to protests

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“The public has a right to know how public employees use their time & no UW Faculty are above the law. We are seeking numerous documents related to the recent protests on UW Campuses,” Wisconsin Law and Liberty (WILL) posted to X, formerly known as Twitter on Thursday.

The law firm is going after University of Wisconsin Madison professors who participated in the pro-Palestine protest illegal encampments this week.

The professors who were arrested have setup fundraising Venmo accounts and did so during the workday, WILL alleges, noting it’s public record.

According to documents obtained by the Wisconsin Law Journal, WILL has requested public records related to “the involvement of public employees in the financing and coordination of an illegal occupation of public property.”

During an interview with WILL attorney Skylar Croy on Thursday, Croy said, “UW Professors are public employees. They are paid by the taxpayers. Therefore, the taxpayers deserve to know what they’ve been doing with their time. And they appear to have been fundraising to facilitate an illegal occupation.”

Croy posted several images to X on Thursday night documenting hateful messages spread across the University of Wisconsin campus by Pro-Palestinian protesters.

In the public record request, WILL noted, “Since at least April 29, anti-Israel protesters have unlawfully occupied a portion of the University of Wisconsin-Madison known as Library Mall or Memorial Mall. These individuals are currently violating the Wisconsin Administrative Code with a tent encampment, which has created both a public nuisance and an unsafe environment for members of the university’s Jewish community. These members have been subjected to all sorts of harassment, including so-called ‘Heil Hitler’ salutes.1 Occupiers have even chanted: ‘There is only one solution, I revolution!’  This chant is reminiscence of the Nazi’s infamous ‘final solution,’” i.e., exterminating the Jews, and “Intifada” is an antisemitic call for violence.3 Chalk writings have been made in the courtyard of the mall, which state, among other things, ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ and ‘ZIONISM IS TERRIORISM.’ Notably, chalking is also prohibited by the Wisconsin Administrative Code.4 The occupation has become violent—in one day alone, police arrested 34 people, and eight police officers were injured. At least one police report has been filed, and we are closely monitoring the university’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law requires universities to take affirmative steps to prohibit circumstances that create a racially hostile environment. The university’s steps to date have only exacerbated this dangerous environment.”

The Wisconsin Law Journal reached out to University of Wisconsin officials on Thursday.  On Friday, a university spokesperson responded saying, “UW-Madison has received this records request and will respond as soon as practicable, as required by law.”

The public records request includes:

As previously reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal, tensions escalated quickly Wednesday morning in Madison as pro-Palestinian protesters engaging in illegal activities clashed with law enforcement officers trying to enforce state law and campus policy.

This story has been updated.