OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Winnebago County Democratic Party is fielding criticism after some Oshkosh Farmers Market-goers said a party volunteer handed out hate speech materials.
“It’s hate speech. I mean, it’s literally wishing death on somebody, which isn’t appropriate in any scenario,” Oshkosh Farmers Market-goer Katy Neubauer said.
Neubauer said she and her family were enjoying their Saturday morning at the Oshkosh Farmers Market this past weekend until her eight-year-old child was handed a bracelet from a member of the Winnebago County Democratic Party.
“The guy behind the tent table said, ‘Hey, give this to your mom, she’s going to really want this’ and one of the children comes running up, gives us the bracelet and we’re looking at it and it literally says ‘Is he dead yet?’ on the bracelet,” Neubauer said.
Neubauer and the Republican Party of Winnebago County assume this was a hate speech reference to President Donald Trump.
The Winnebago County Democratic Party has not responded to the complaints. Its office was locked Monday and the door said it was closed for the national holiday.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Communications Director, Philip Shulman, said in a statement:
The materials brought by a volunteer without the authorization of the Party are not in line with our values and we regret this happened.
The Republican Party of Winnebago County said this type of material is concerning. Chairman Cameron Clark pointed to the Sept. 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a reminder that political violence and hate speech cannot be tolerated.
“We are at a time in our country where political violence is at an all-time high, and to have one of the major parties out there continuing to perpetuate it would be very sad,” Clark said.
The Oshkosh Farmers Market says it received about 10 complaints from customers about the bracelets. Market Manager Michelle Schmid-Schultz also confirmed it was the Winnebago County Democratic Party’s booth handing out the materials.
She said while the market respects everyone’s freedom of speech, hate speech is not permitted.
“We do have a vendor code of conduct and rules and regulations on how items are to be handed out at the farmers market, and they did break market rules,” Schmid-Schultz said.
She said the Winnebago County Democratic Party has been talked to about the bracelets. Despite breaking code of conduct, the organization will be allowed to set up for future markets, Schmid-Schultz said.
The Oshkosh Farmers Market also said the Winnebago County Democratic Party’s booth space will be inspected prior to next weekend’s event to ensure no guidelines are being broken.
