Metro East Sun

A protest held outside of the Madison County Circuit Court was commended by the county chief judge for remaining peaceful with no arrests made.

“After watching the national news and seeing that 26 states have called for the National Guard and the protest is now a worldwide protest, popping up in numerous countries, I was happy to see that the expression of free speech in Madison County was peaceful,” Madison County Chief Judge William Mudge told the Madison-St. Clair Record. 

Protesters outside the court voiced their opinions while refraining from causing any damage or engaging in violence. Major Mike Fillback and leaders of the Edwardsville Police Department also told the Record that he and the department are encouraging peaceful protests. 

“We were appreciative of that and the fact that everybody made it home safe," he told the Record, noting protesters even cleaned up after themselves when the rally finished, “They voiced their concerns and did so in a respectful manner."

Mudge told the Record he approved of the way the police department handled the event and served the community during the protests and throughout the the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I think our local police did a wonderful job,” he told the Record. “They kept their presence at a minimum so they wouldn’t make themselves a point of attack.”

Edwardsville residents were leading the protest as a result of George Floyd's death in Minnesota. Mudge is hopeful Edwardsville residents will continue peaceful protests and not resort to violence as in many other parts of the country. 

“That’s the most effective expression of protest in my mind,” he told the Record. “We have to stop hurting each other. That goes both ways, of course. Looting and rioting and burning buildings down and setting cars on fire, that seems, to me, to be feeding into keeping things the same and not affecting change.”