Judge orders Walker to let the people in
March 3, 2011
For more than two weeks, protestors opposed to Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill have congregated peacefully and democratically in and around the Capitol. A judge’s decision today on a labor-led challenge that ordered the Department of Administration to let protesters into the building starting early next week is a victory for workers everywhere.
“Tens of thousands of citizens have poured in to the Capitol for weeks to be heard,” said Kevin Gibbons, co-president of the Teaching Assistants’ Association. “We will be back every morning until our voices are heard and we kill the bill.”
Governor Walker shut down access to the Capitol this week with arbitrary rules for letting people inside, but protesters continued to voice their opposition to the bill, and their support for Democratic Senators who are staying away to allow the bill to be debated. Citizens inside and outside of the building continued to make their voice heard while complying with requests of the Department of Administration.
“The people who demonstrated at the Capitol this week acted with the utmost integrity, but were treated like second-class citizens as they were shut out time and time again,” said Gibbons.
Over the last two weeks, citizen action quickly became a mainstream movement as Walker’s real intentions to crush unions – not just to balance the budget – became clear.
Contact:
Kevin Gibbons, TAA Co-President: 608-520-3560
Alex Hanna, TAA Co-President, 765-404-6996