Walker Somehow Manages To Unite Law Enforcement And Protesters At Wisconsin Capitol

Tonight Bill Lueders in the DailyPage put his finger on the really remarkable thing about the occupation of Wisconsin's Capitol. Never mind the 100,000+ today in the snow and cold. Never mind the incredible solidarity that has developed over the last couple of weeks between public and private sector unions. Or the sense of small-town living that has developed with the sleepovers in the Capitol building, albeit in smaller and smaller areas, as the Capitol Police and their thousands of uniformed law enforcement reinforcements on temporary assignment closed off larger and larger wings of the building. Or the abundant, high-end and free pizza.

It's the friendly relationship that those uniformed (mostly) union members of law enforcement have developed with the protesters. Both sides are more than polite to one another; they are downright Midwestern friendly.  I've never seen anything like it anywhere. Eye contact, smiles, thank-you's and offers of pizza or a bagel. I thought for years that the Madison Police were the best at keeping events cool, but this reaches new levels. Over 100,000 people in and around the building today; no arrests (again).

(Last night was the law enforcement unions' sleepover - I saw a Madison cop walking from the City-County Building to the Capitol at about 8:30, carrying a police solidarity sign and a pillow.)

Lueders:

All this week I've been talking to the law enforcement officers converged in and around the Capitol. ...Today I spoke at some length with a state conservation warden, one of the quasi-law enforcement employees who will not be spared the loss of collective bargaining under Walker's divisive plan.

He praised the protesters for how kind and well-behaved they've been, as have the officers I've spoken to over the last week and a half. Something remarkable has happened here: The protesters and the law enforcement officers who have been sent here from every corner of the state have come to like each other, to see each other as being on the same side. (emphasis added)

I think that means -- I hope that means -- that the building will be sealed off peacefully tonight and will vacate peacefully tomorrow. And then Monday morning, when the building is clean, everybody can come back.

Let's all hope Lueders is right about a peaceful exit of all protesters tomorrow. If Walker has indeed somehow managed to unite protester and cop, perhaps only a handful will force the issue and have to be carried out.  That might allow the building, its many legislative staffers, and the uniformed law enforcement folks from Sheboygan to Platteville to take a needed short break.

This no-arrest streak is a badge of honor for both sides.

If that isn't enough, bonding by sharing bagels and pizza in adjacent sleeping bags may have helped.

 

- Barry Orton

Comments

[Baron Automatic]

!00,000 people and no arrests. I don't think you can find that anywhere in America tonight. The absence of any kind of violence(and arrests)is a tribute to the resolve of this demonstration's statement. This has turned into a seige. Vicksburg, Petersburg, study your Civil War, because this is now a seige. Do not give ground. You are all right, in the sense that you are all correct in the direction that you want your government to proceed. Get out of the way, and let everyone get this place cleaned up. It will help us more than it will help the confederacy.

There is so much pride for The UW students of today who are so resolved and determined. We are so proud of you. You are our future but we are so glad that you are your future.

[Ron Prince]

Agree. Huge cheers for the UW students. They started this all with their Valentines Day deliveries. They, and the unions, have led the way. And thank God for the courage and wisdom of the Senate 14 and the tenacious Assembly 38. We have so much to be proud of.

[nonheroicvet]

Still you have to admit that the smell of tear gas adds an exclamation point to ones cause.

[Ofr]

If law enforcement is with the protesters, who will win if this goes to Court?