JANESVILLE, Wis. – Over 3,000 angry workers and their supporters picketed Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was speaking to a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Janesville, Wisconsin on March 29th. (video below)
The protesters massed at all the entrances to the Holiday Inn Express here and booed those driving in to hear Walker speak. Security was tight and Janesville police checked each driver as they listened to chants of “Shame, shame, shame,” and “Hey Hey Ho Ho, Governor Walker has got to go!”
(Story continues below video)
Janesville Protest v Walker from Scott Marshall on Vimeo.
Most of the police were clearly sympathetic to the demonstrators. Still, in a friendly way, they were trying to keep everyone on the sidewalks and out of the street. Finally, organized righteous frustration broke out. The people just poured into the street and marched up to the front of the hotel and surrounded the main entrance.
The protesters were already in a festive mood when word came that the judge who had issued the temporary restraining order had now issued a strong injunction against implementing the anti-labor law. Noting that the law had violated the states open meetings act, the judge also said she would enforce her order with criminal charges if necessary.
A steelworker expressed the mood of the demonstration when he said he was glad to be adding to Walker and the Chamber’s indigestion.
Image: Scott Marshall/PW
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