GRASSROOTS PROTEST PLANNED DURING FOXCONN GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Electronic manufacturing giant, Foxconn, will break ground on June 28th, 2018 in the Village of Mt. Pleasant under the watchful eyes of President Donald Trump, Governor Scott Walker and Foxconn CEO and Founder, Terry Gou. In response, a coalition of nearly 40 organizations will be launching a mass demonstration entitled Operation: Shake the Ground! to illustrate the overwhelming objection by Wisconsinites to the project and its implications. Foxconn is the direct product of political corruption and an unrepresentative state government and is clearly being utilized as the current Governor’s primary re-election campaign bid. As such, the people of Wisconsin stand in opposition to the current project as it is and will not stay silent about this issue.

Luring Foxconn to Wisconsin is the biggest mistake of Scott Walker’s tenure as Governor. The factory is promised a record-setting tax incentive package that will burden taxpayers for decades to come, despite the project’s thorough lack of transparency. Funneling money to Foxconn takes away resources that should be going to fund our public schools and universities, to repair roads and bridges throughout the state, fixing the state’s segregation and incarceration problems and protecting our WI natural areas. Exemption from state environmental oversight poses the threat of water and air pollution as well as the destruction of wetlands that protect homeowners and businesses from flooding, and acting as potentially the greatest threat to Lake Michigan -- part of the world’s largest freshwater reservoir. The rights of landowners and homeowners have been violated, designating their properties as blighted to seize them through eminent domain. The promise of jobs is lackluster, and unsupportive of the local community, with most requiring advanced technical degrees and the deterioration of rural Wisconsin to produce temporary contracting jobs and not the long-term investment ones that many have been hopeful for. Excessive water usage has drawn lawsuits against the state, taking more money to defend its actions.

Enough is enough! We are taking a stand as a community.

WHO: Initially started and led entirely by student / youth leaders from 350 Stevens Point and the Gaia Coalition Network, more than 35 student and community organizations from throughout Wisconsin have formed a statewide coalition-effort to oppose Foxconn, Scott Walker and political corruption in Wisconsin. It is a diverse group with a core team made up of landowners and residents of Mount Pleasant, Racine and Kenosha; students and youth leaders; environmentalists; civil rights advocates; interfaith communities; transportation advocates; public school teachers; UW professors; union workers; farmers; and indigenous leaders.

WHEN: The time of the Groundbreaking Ceremony has been kept under wraps. Therefore, the protest is scheduled to start at noon on June 28th. If that should change to coincide with the ceremony, we will notify you immediately.

WHERE: The Operation: Shake the Ground! demonstration will begin in the pavilion at Smolenski Park, 438 S. Stuart Rd. in Mt. Pleasant, WI. Should that location change to be closer to the site of the Groundbreaking Ceremony, we will notify you immediately.

EVENT DETAILS: Operation: Shake the Ground! will begin with a rally at Smolenski Park highlighting the voices of landowners and residents impacted directly or indirectly by misuses of eminent domain and blighted zone rulings, changes in local transportation and local governance. We will then go into an approximately half-an-hour march to Mt. Pleasant Village Hall for a second rally featuring voices from all over the state concerned with the economic, political, social and environmental repercussions from the Foxconn deal and a corrupted legislative body. Voter registration will be taking place throughout the event. Assembly, Senate and Gubernatorial candidates from throughout the state are confirmed to be in attendance.

Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1782026028503033/

Full list of coalition organizations endorsing the event: 350 Stevens Point, Gaia Coalition Network, Our Wisconsin Revolution, DPW Progressive Caucus, 350 Milwaukee, 350 Madison, UW-Oshkosh SDS, UWM The Flood, UWGB PEAC, UW-Waukesha Ecology Club, UW-Parkside PEC, UW-Whitewater SAGE, Family Farm Defenders, Forward Kenosha, Wisconsin Wolf Front United, Indigenous Warrior Society of Wisconsin, Peace Action Wisconsin, Milwaukee DSA, Forward Action Medics of MKE, Wisconsin Network for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability, Sunrise Movement SE Wisconsin, Water Protectors of Milwaukee, Southeastern Wisconsin NORML, Building Unity, A Better Mt. Pleasant, Indivisible Madison, Grassroots Northshore, UWM Community Uprise, The Video Hub, Wisconsin Grassroots Network, Welfare Warriors, Sousaphones Against Hate, Greater Milwaukee Green Party, Protectors of the Menominee River, Sunrise Menomonie, Portage Democratic Party, Stevens Point Area Green Party, WI Green Party, and the Waukesha County Environmental Action League (WEAL)