Anyone who has busked in a big city can tell you that it can be dangerous. There are those who might try to steal your hard-earned cash. Or those who might steal your axe. Or even those who might try to do you harm. One busker in Milwaukee this week experienced exactly this sort of danger, as the sax player was assaulted for playing her horn… Or was there another reason?
Assaulted for intervening in an argument about payment for jewellery
There are a couple of totally different versions of the assault of Cassandra Struve being presented by the media, and these two variants shed an interesting light on the news we consume on a daily basis.
First up: the Journal Sentinel’s, June 28, 2013 article: “3 cited in assault on Summerfest saxophone busker: Woman says she was playing a blues tune when she was attacked”.
The story reads as follows:
Four people received municipal citations in connection with the assault on a saxophone player outside of Summerfest, Milwaukee police confirmed Friday.
According to police, the incident began shortly after 11 p.m., Wednesday when a group of women who had been asked to leave the Summerfest grounds were walking east on Chicago St.
A 4-year-old girl with the women grabbed a bracelet from a street vendor and an argument began when the vendor asked for payment.
A woman who was playing a saxophone nearby intervened and was struck in the face by a 41-year-old woman in the group, who was cited for assault and battery and disorderly conduct.
A 24-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl were also cited for disorderly conduct, police said.
Assaulted because she ought not be playing Minnie the Moocher
But according to local Fox affiliate WITI (Channel 6), the assault of the sax player was racially motivated. Check it this clip and see what you think….
In case the video vanishes, here is the text from Fox6now.com:
MILWAUKEE (WITI) — A saxophone player was assaulted outside the Summerfest grounds near Chicago St. on Wednesday, June 26th around 11 p.m.
26-year-old street performer Cassandra Struve became a target on opening night while she was playing an old jazz song.
“I was playing Minnie the Moocher, classic Blues Brothers song,” said Struve. ”A lady with a child in her hand came up to me, smacked me in my face and said ‘don’t play that.’”
Struve says three African American women confronted her and shouted that a white girl could not play the song.
After being hit, Struve says she was shocked and pushed the woman away, but was hit again.
“Her daughter came out of nowhere and punched me twice in the side of the face,” said Struve. “After she did that I was instantly upset. You know, I mean, I cried.”
A group of workers at a nearby hot dog stand witnessed the attack.
“It was chaotic, you know, it was really chaotic,” said Lee Johnson.
Johnson says he tried to confront the women but they continued walking away. Then he decided to check on Struve.
“I went down to her aid and assisted her the best I could and called 911 for her,” said Johnson.
Struve says she has a bruise on her temple, but will continue to play outside Summerfest.
“Saxophone is an innocent instrument. It’s supposed to spread the love and joy with people, not to bring hatred,” said Struve.
Two women, 14- and 24-years-old, were cited for disorderly conduct. A 41-year-old woman was cited for assault and battery and disorderly conduct.
These stories seem to be about two different incidents. It’s almost as if Cassandra Struve is the most unlucky busker in Milwaukee: she gets assaulted by a group of 3 women, not once, but twice in the same week. Clearly this is not the case, and for whatever reason the media has decided to cover two very different aspects of the story.
It is curious though, why Struve didn’t mention the jewellery incident in the interview. Or maybe she did, and it ended up on the virtual cutting room floor.
If nothing else, this particular story should have us thinking about the news we read, watch, and/or hear on a regular basis.
Our opinions of local and world events are to a large degree shaped by the media. If the facts can vary so widely on such an innocuous story, just think how coverage of major events can differ. Don’t we owe it to ourselves to look at more than one source, and come to a conclusion on our own? Hey, I’m just saying…
Update 2024: Wow, talk about foreshadowing. I was going to remove this in my current site updates, but decided to leave it right here. 
HELLO I AM THE REAL CASSANDRA STRUVE. I KNOW THAT ALOT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT WHAT HAPPENEND AT SUMMERFEST. I NEVER PROVOKED ANYONE THAT NIGHT. IT WAS NOT THE SONG SELECTION EITHER. I AM A VERY KIND AND NICE PERSON AND GIVE EVERYONE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM…….. THE WOMAN HAD THE CHILD IN HER ARMS WALKED UP TO ME…REALLY FAST… REACHING INTO HER BACK POCKET I THOUGHT… AND BEFORE I KNEW IT SHE HAD SLAPPED ME WITH ALL HER MIGHT AND AFTER THAT SAYING “DONT PLAY THAT” I PUSHED HER WITH THE CHILD IN HER ARMS IN SELF DEFENSE. IN LESS THAN A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PUSH HER HER DAUGHTER YELLS “DONT TOUCH MY MOM”– THEN I CLUTCH MY SAXOPHONE AND BEFORE I COULD LOOK TO MY LEFT THE 24 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GIVES ME THREE BLOWS TO THE HWEAD CLOSED FIST WITH RINGS ON AS HARD AS SHE CAN. IT WAS REALLY QUICK AND AS THEY WALK AWAY THEY SAID “WHITE SAXOPHONE PLAYING B****!” AND LAUGHING. I FELT MY HEAD THROBBING AS I CRIED OUT FOR SOMEONE TO HELP. THERE WERE A FEW WHO CAMWE TO MY AID WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE. THE HOTDOG STAND GUY(LEE) CAME AND ASKED IF I WAS OK….I SAID YES BUT WAS SUFFERING A MILD CONCUSSION AND DIDNT KNOW IT. A YOUNG GIRL WATCHED MY INSTRUMENT BOX WHILE I WENT TO TALK TO POLICE. IT WAS A TALL STALKY MAN BALD AND SEEMED LIKE HE DIDNT WANT TO SEE ME. I SAID I GOT PUNCHED PLAYING MY SAXOPHONE AND HE SAID “WELL MAYB YOU SHOULDNT PLAY DOWN HERE. I WAS GENUINELY UPSET. HE DIDNT CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. HE BUSTED THE LADIES ON A DIFFERENT THING. SINCE IT HAPPENED TO FAST I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THE DAUGHTER LOOKED LIKE. THE COP SAID ILL TAKE YOUR NUMBER AND CALL YOU. THEN MILWAUKEE POLICE DEPARTMENT ISSUED A STATMENT BEFORE THE NEWS RELEASED THEIR STORY. MY FATHER CALLED THE NEWS WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE SINCE I DID NOTHING TO PROVOKE. DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND MANY MORE WERE THROWN ASIDE WHE NIT CAME TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ME I AM GOING TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO SEEK JUSTICE. I DO HAVE CHRONIC MIGRANES WHICH NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, TINNITUS EVERY DAY AND PAINFUL, AND SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS. THEY DIDNT JUST TRY AND MAKE ME NOT PLAY THAT NIGHT, THEY COULD HAVE KILLED ME WITH THE BLOWS TO MY TEMPLE….. I HAVE OVER 3,000 DOLLARS IN DEBT FROM HOSPITALS. I STILL NEED TO GO IN FOR REAVALUATION. I KNOW WHY THOSE WOMEN DID IT THAT NIGHT BUT WISH IT WASNT TRUE. RACISM IS RUINING THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTRY…. IT NEEDS TO BE KNOWN QWHAT HAPPENED TO ME IS A RACE CRIME….NOT REVERSED NOT SOME SPECIAL THING BECAUSE I AM CAUCASIAN. IT WAS A CRIME FOR THE COLOR OF MY SKIN. IT SADDENS ME TO SEE A GRANDMOTHER SHOWING HER CHILD AND HER CHILDREN IT IS OK TO MEANINGLESSLY ATTACK WHITE PEOPLE….I AM ENDING THIS WITH A SONG THAT EVERYONE READING SHOULD LISTEN TO….. I DID ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER MY ASSAULT. I FOUND IT VERY TOUCHING I WAS WITH MY PARENTS AND WE CRIED TOGETHER….SINCE LIKE MANY FAMILIES IN THE USA WE ARE STRUGGLING TO DO WHATS RIGHT AND DO WHATS BEST BUT STILL GET HURT. I HAD A RADIO INTERVEIW WITH AM1130 CHECK IT OUT….. AND ON DECEMBER 7TH THE CHOME DIVAS ARE HAVING A BENEFIT/FUNDRAISER IN MY HONOR TO HELP WITH BILLS AND OTHER EXPENSES
SKIN DEEP BY BUDDY GUY
THANK YOU FOR READING
CASSANDRA STRUVE
SAXYCASS
:saxy:
Hello Cassandra.
I’m very happy that you stopped in. I was very sorry to hear about what happened to you in the summer. I’m even sorrier to hear that you’re still suffering health problems from the unprovoked attack.
It sounds to me that you have some supportive people around you. That is at least one good thing in your favour.
I wish you the best, and I hope that the women who did this to you at at least have to pay in some way for the crime that they committed. I realize that that won’t help with your medical expenses, or with your ongoing health concerns, but at least they should have to face justice for their criminal actions.
As someone who has suffered severe pain in my head due to a neurological problem for the last 7 years, I know what it feels like. The medications I have to take daily just to be mostly pain-free knock the shit out of me, but if I don’t take them I would have killed myself years ago from the pain in my eyes and ears (I have trigeminal neuralgia). I hope your doctor has been able to help you manage your migraine pain.
As for tinnitus, well it just freakin’ sucks big time. I don’t have mine all the time. I hope you don’t have to hear the ringing/buzzing all the time. It would be enough to drive a person mad. I’d have gone :loco: if I had the ring/buzz in my head 24/7.
Take good care of yourself Cassandra. All the best…helen
realizing i left the caps on middle rant yesterday thank you for all your support
saxycass
:saxy:
i really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly and your words of encouragment are inspireing
No worries about the caps.
Take good care of yourself. My thoughts are with you, and if I can help in any small way, please let me know…helen
well my friends are having a benefit for myself and my father who was recently dianosed stage four cancer. can you spread the word to ones you know in wi 12/14/13? not a biggie if you cant I just thought about it.
3pm-12am
mark’s sports pub
4035 s clement ave
milwaukee wi 53207
much thanks saxycass
:saxy:
here is WITI updated story,
WEST ALLIS (WITI) — The 26-year-old saxophone player who was assaulted outside the Summerfest grounds on Wednesday night, June 26th, has been re-interviewed by police.
Cassandra Struve says she became a target on opening night while she was playing an old jazz song.
“I was playing Minnie the Moocher, classic Blues Brothers song,” said Struve. ”A lady with a child in her hand came up to me, smacked me in my face and said ‘don’t play that.’”
Struve says three African American women confronted her and shouted that a white girl could not play the song. The performer reacted by pushing the first woman away before being punched twice in the side of the face by another woman.
Milwaukee Police say a narrative of the incident written up by the responding officer indicates that there was a disturbance with a vendor over a stolen bracelet, Struve intervened and that’s when she was struck.
But on Saturday, June 29th, Milwaukee police re-interviewed Struve. They now believe the sax player was not involved in the vendor dispute, but was struck immediately following when the suspect had an issue with a song the victim was playing. This incident happened in close proximity of the dispute with the vendor and involved the same suspect.
Two women, 14- and 24-years-old, were cited for disorderly conduct. A 41-year-old woman was cited for assault and battery and disorderly conduct.
– – – – – – –
The greater shame in this story is the generational bigotry perpetuated by the grandmother. She and her daughter assaulted Cassie as she was playing without any provocation on Cassie’s part. The grandmother held her 4-year-old in her free arm throughout both incidents. new fox6now.com coverage on 6pm news tonite. Cassie was also interviewed by wisn 1030AM radio today.
gotta go, news on now.
Cassie just bought the ’59 Vito last Friday, (June 23, 2013).
She threw every penny she had to acquire this horn, exclusively for busking at Summerfest, once it was rebuilt. Her grandfather’s sax, (1910 martin w/conn keys), needs rebuilding after nearly 60 years of neglect, and is still under repair. Her 1937 Martin Searchlight is too precious to her for street use, she only plays it on stage. I bought her the searchlight for her 25th birthday, (rescued from garage sale for $50), and funded it’s rebuild at Milwaukee’s Lincoln music, (where it was purchased when new). She named it “BOWZER” after my/our family dog, who was killed in a highway mishap 1 year later.
SaxyCass, is her handle, online.
Cassie lives by the lesson taught me by my father, which I in turn taught my daughters, and anyone who demonstrated a need for it.
THERE IS ONLY ONE RACE ON EARTH, THE HUMAN RACE,
WE COME IN A MYRIAD OF COLOURS.
She did nothing to promote this assault, and was smacked upside her skull while playing Minnie the Moocher, a song which could only offend someone who “fits those shoes”.
Hello Cassie’s Father. Thank you for visiting my blog.
I am glad that Cassie did not suffer more serious injuries in the assault. Please give her my regards.
She is very lucky to have a supportive dad like you. My parents too supported my saxophone habit when I was younger, and even into my early 40s, my mom still gave me vintage saxophones as gifts for b-days, etc. Now that both my parents are gone, those are some of my most treasured horns.
Having a cheap horn to busk with is common in the busking community. I know quite a few professional buskers who play $5000 dollar horns on stage, and $50 horns on the street.
I think the attack on Cassie is a good example of how we can be doing nothing wrong, yet have stupid people do harm to us. Sadly, there is no cure for stupid. As I mentioned at the top, I’m just glad she was not more seriously injured.
I hope that Cassie continues with her sax playing, and that one day we hear about a kick-ass alto player from Milwaukee by the name of Cassandra Struve.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for this example of selective information.
All reporters missed the fact that Cassandra Struve played a Vito made in Japan.
Having seen some news with my own eyes I experienced that most news is constructed from some of the facts selected to fit the news frame.
After this selection news item where wrought that
where always different from my own experience.
When you look at the changes in facial expression of the Fox reporter you can almost see how this news item was cut.
While the facts are mainly correct the real Cassandra story is killed.
Without this attitude prevailing in the US she could have been playing an American Vito.
actually my vito was made in the united states in kenosha i beleieve 1959 🙂
i only play american saxophones and that was when they were owned by america. and it was a sax that was later signed by buddy guy 🙂 i love my saxophones and take pride that they are all american. and fixed in america and the radio station i spoke out on did a way better story. am1130 🙂
:saxy:
While there are certainly some great aspects to American saxophones — for example, my 1919 Buescher True Tone C-Mel is just the best sounding horn I’ve ever had (once I put the 1923 neck on it) — but it’s somewhat silly to be overly proud of the origins of an instrument. It’s true that the engineering does seem to have some relation to the engineering mindset of the country as a whole, just as Italian or French or Japanese saxophones do, but in this case that engineering would be to use something outdated and make up for it in the build quality. Had American saxophones moved to a keywork style like that of the Selmer Balanced Action once its patent expired, I’d like them quite a bit better. Obviously this doesn’t apply to 1919, but it does apply to the 1960s and 1970s when they were still building them with the same awkward keywork — or even to your 1959 Vito, if my memory serves. I have no doubt it sounds great, but it’s like driving with drum brakes and no power steering. It makes for a more tiring experience than is truly necessary.
Sound is the key of course, but I prefer when the machinery just gets out of the way and lets me do as I want, rather than making me fight it.
i think what you commented was very cool! i liked the response. i guess i always had the pride for it. the mechanics on it make it hard to play at times i will admit that. i have a 37 martin searchlight comittee ii and it plays so wonderfully even though the pads job was not good at all seems to leak? my friend did my pad job on my 59 vito with black pads and noyack resonators. two of the other saxophones i own are 1910 lyon and healy and my 1918lyon and healy with martin body. neither of them play and i am working on saving the 1200 to fix both. i really like this forum and continue to read often. it great that theres a community of saxophonists i can read up on or even chat with!! have a great night and i will keep that in mind. if my memory is right that vito might have been some of the last ones made in usa?? then japan started making them? i dont remember. something to research for sure :saxy: