Response to George Floyd protests
Starting in May 2020, protests spread across the United States in response to the murder of George Floyd. Protests in Madison began on May 30. Initially, Rhodes-Conway seemed supportive of the demonstrations, stating "George Floyd should be alive tonight and the fact that he isn't, is an American tragedy... I also want to say that I completely agree with the protestors that were around the Capitol square and right here in front of this building earlier today. I agree with their message, I agree with their right to protest and I agree with how determinedly and peacefully they protested today."
However, after protesters were tear-gassed by police on the first night of demonstrations, tensions escalated. Alice Herman, writing for Tone Madison, recounted that "As protesters—chanting 'hands up, don't shoot,' and repeating George Floyd's name—advanced from the campus end of State Street toward the Capitol, cops formed barricades across the street, repeatedly deploying tear gas to route the advancing protesters into side streets. The tear gas set off panicked stampedes, which were the most frightening and dangerous moments of the day." Multiple Madison alders released a statement condemning the tear-gassing of protesters. The next day, Rhodes-Conway declared a state of emergency and imposed a 9:30 pm curfew on the isthmus area of the city, stating "I want to be clear that this is in response to a number of people endangering themselves and others by shattering glass, destroying property, and engaging in widespread, systematic looting of local businesses."
On June 3, Rhodes-Conway released a password-protected video, intended only for consumption by Madison Police Department members; however, the video was leaked to the public. In the video, Rhodes-Conway stated "You must be exhausted. I know I am, and you're facing a much more difficult situation than I am. It must be absolutely infuriating to stand in heavy gear outside while listening to people constantly insult your chosen profession... You are not what the protesters say you are. I know that... I was so focused on the task of addressing the concerns of our community that I didn't remember that you need and deserve both recognition and appreciation." The video was leaked in a Facebook group.
Rhodes-Conway publicly apologized for the statements made in the leaked video, saying "Black lives matter. I believe deeply in this and yet I failed to center this in my message to the police department... I realize I may have done irreparable harm with my actions, and I realize too that I may have permanently lost any trust I had." In response to the mayor's inability to take a solid stance on the protest, a recall effort was launched in July 2020. However, it failed to gather enough signatures in the allotted timeframe.
