“Milwaukee4Palestine” says an Open Records Request reveals that Derco Aerospace/Lockheed Martin, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) and the Southeastern Wisconsin Threat Analysis Center (STAC) exchanged nearly 130 emails with information on the meetings, actions and social media of their organization in 2025.
In a statement, “Milwaukee4Palestine” says this is “setting a dangerous precedent for the surveillance and suppression of free speech in our city.”
“Milwaukee4Palestine” will attend the July 2 meeting of the Fire & Police Commission happening at 4:30 p.m. in Milwaukee City Hall. Organizers plan to share demands and encourage public comment or participation from residents.
Derco Aerospace is a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin and distributes an engine that is used in Israeli military actions, according to “Milwaukee4Palestine.” They have launched a community campaign called “Disarm Derco,” which demands a halt in the production of this engine.
“This so-called security coordination contributes to a longstanding pattern of police surveillance of local activism and sets a dangerous precedent of private companies utilizing police as their own personal security forces on the taxpayer’s dollar,” said Heba Mohammad, one of the “Milwaukee4Palestine” organizers.
The open records request confirms that the MPD and the STAC exchanged nearly 130 emails with Derco Aerospace to monitor the actions and activists associated with the campaign, according to “Milwaukee4Palestine.”
According to “Milwaukee4Palestine, ” these emails show collaboration between MPD and the STAC to deter and criminalize protest. They say this raises concern for activists that MPD is not resisting the interference of private interests. Therefore, suppressing their right to free speech.
“These emails expose the extent to which law enforcement and corporate actors are willing to dedicate time, resources, and coordination toward monitoring people whose only ‘threat’ is speaking out against war, genocide, displacement, and occupation,” said organizers with “Milwaukee4Yemen.” “The same logic used to monitor anti-war organizers and pro-Palestine movements is used to justify the surveillance, detention, and criminalization of immigrant communities through agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”
‘Milwaukee4Palestine’ Statement Detailing Information in the Open Records:
“Records show that the intelligence exchanges between MPD, STAC, and Derco were multidirectional, with MPD offering unsolicited information on planned protests, discussing deterrence measures, and sharing links to alleged organizers’ personal social media accounts.”
“Notably, the exchanges also reveal shared plans and advice from MPD to Derco/Lockheed Martin regarding how to criminalize protestors with trespassing charges.”
“Following a call between Derco and MPD on May 12, 2025, Jennifer Maxwell—a counterintelligence investigator with Lockheed Martin—wrote to several MPD and Lockheed Martin employees that ‘MPD believes a physical barrier, even if temporary, would be helpful in the event trespass charges are desired for protestors.'”
“Maxwell also left a gift for MPD Captain Andrew Tischer in March 2025 with the note, ‘Thank you for everything you do!'”
In their statement, “Milwaukee4Palestine” lists demands of the Milwaukee Common Council and the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission.
‘Milwaukee4Palestine’ Demands
- Investigate gifts, donations, and other bribes & benefits provided to MPD by private companies;
- Investigate MPD’s deployment of public resources to protect Derco Aerospace and their parent company, Lockheed Martin, including whether security services were provided with on-duty officers paid by taxpayer dollars;
- A total ban on MPD’s participation in deadly exchange programs, through which local law enforcement are trained by Israeli soldiers and police;
- Audit STAC’s involvement with corporate intelligence requests;
- Investigate surveillance of and information collection and sharing about activists;
- Hold public hearings and release all relevant records; and
- Establish Clear Limits on Political Surveillance and Protect the Right to Protest