 The state agency that
oversees the Capitol asked the throngs of demonstrators who have
been camping out at the Capitol since Feb. 15 to leave by 4 p.m.
Sunday or risk arrest, saying the building was in dire need of a
cleaning. But in the hours before the deadline came and went, it was
clear most protesters did not intend to leave voluntarily.One
medic instructed the crowd how to prepare for the worst, telling
demonstrators to clench their fists so handcuffs or restraints would
not cut off the blood flow and to remove contact lenses in case
police sprayed anything that could harm their eyes.
Police standing nearby said none of that would be necessary, and
Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs said no one had been arrested as
of about 5 p.m.
He said officers would continue trying to get protesters to
vacate voluntarily, but he deflected questions about whether police
would arrest demonstrators who refused to leave.
Sue Knetsch, 53, of Waupaca, said she stayed away from the
Capitol throughout the nearly two weeks of protests, but that she
brought her 21-year-old son, Taylor, to the Capitol on Sunday as an
a lesson in democracy. She said they expected to get arrested
together.
"I just want him to know you can do something. His generation is
walking around passively saying, ‘It doesn't matter,'" said Knetsch,
who said she had been arrested at age 17 while protesting the
Vietnam War. "This is awesome. I'm a little nostalgic."
As the deadline to leave passed, hundreds of protesters on the
Capitol's upper floors picked up their energy level, chanting
"peaceful protest," and "Whose house is this? Our house." At one
point, the crowd sang the national anthem. Many said they were
prepared to be arrested -- if it came to that.
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At 4 p.m., organizers who commanded a microphone on the ground floor
urged people to remain until police physically tapped them on the
shoulder and asked them to leave. Some individuals left in groups of
10 or 20, while most remained. Hundreds of other protesters watched
from one floor above, the informal gathering place for those who
planned to be arrested.
Protesters have remained in the building since Feb. 15. They are
fighting legislation proposed by Wisconsin's new Republican
governor, Scott Walker, that would strip unions of the right to
collectively bargain.
Labor leaders and Democratic lawmakers say the bill is intended
to undermine the unions and weaken a key Democratic Party base.
But Walker argues that the Republican-backed bill would help
close a projected $3.6 billion deficit in the 2011-13 budget, and
that freeing local governments from collective bargaining would give
them the necessary flexibility to deal with deep budget cuts.
The bill stalled in the state Senate when its 14 Democratic
lawmakers fled the state for Illinois, leaving the legislative body
one vote short of a quorum. The Democratic senators have vowed to
stay away from Wisconsin for as long as it takes.
[Associated Press;
By DINESH RAMDE and DAVID A. LIEB]
Associated Press writer Patrick Condon contributed to this report.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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