Madison Mayor prepares for Saturday’s Roe v. Wade protests at the Capitol

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway plans to attend Saturday’s protest against the leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft that would overturn Roe v. Wade and said city staff will do their best to keep it safe.

East High students held a walk-out and most of the students walked from their high school building own Washington Avenue to the Capitol steps on Friday.

Ahead of the protest, NBC15 spoke with City of Madison Mayor Rhodes Conway about how her staff plan to keep protests and rallies safe.

“We always have a number of agencies working behind the scenes to make sure people are safe,” Mayor Rhodes Conway said. “We firmly believe in people’s right to exercise First Amendment rights peacefully so we try to make it done well.”

She said the city will monitor traffic control and consider having metro transportation run a detour. She also said fire station staff will monitor any potential overheating for participants and make sure people drink enough water.

When asked if she had a message for people potentially planning violence at the peaceful protest, she responded.

“I think that’s inappropriate,” Mayor Rhodes Conway said. “I think its important that we all express views but do so in a way that’s respectful and peaceful. People can disagree. That’s part of our first amendment right but we don’t have a right to impose violence on each other or the city.”

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