Monday, February 28, 2011

Walker Orders Capitol Cleared


by Donna Jablonski, Feb 27, 2011

Continuing his unprecedented power grab, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker ordered the state capitol to be cleared at 4 p.m. local time Sunday, closing the building to Wisconsinites protesting his plan to gut the right to bargain for good jobs. Now he’s violating their freedom of assembly, too. Dozens of ministers, rabbis and priests joined workers and students from across the state, risking arrest to protest the closing of the capitol to the public.

Wisconsinites from all walks of life—nurses, firefighters, snowplow drivers, police officers, students, teachers, and others—have been in the capitol building peacefully for 14 days. During that time, they set up an elaborate community called “Capitol City” to keep the capitol building clean, protesters safe and fed and, most importantly, to keep up pressure on Walker to come to the table and open up a dialogue to get Wisconsin moving forward again.