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The statue “Forward” displays a new sign at the State Capitol in Madison.
AP PHOTO
MADISON, Wis. — Police carried dozens of protesters from a hallway leading to the Wisconsin Assembly on Thursday morning as Democratic representatives pounded on the locked door of the chamber, demanding to be let in before a historic vote on an explosive bill taking away public workers’ collective bargaining rights.
The chamber was locked while police did a security review in the crowded Capitol. Later Thursday, protesters who remained outside the chamber thanked the Democratic representatives who voted against the bill. As the lawmakers left the Assembly, the protesters exchanged high-fives with the Democrats and chanted “thank you” as they wound through the crowd.
The Republicans left the Assembly under heavy guard as protesters shouted “Shame!”
Rallies against the bill have attracted thousands of protesters to the Capitol over the past several weeks. A vote on it had been held up after 14 Democratic senators fled to Illinois three weeks ago, leaving that chamber one short of the 20 members needed to take up any measures that spend money.
Republicans got around that Wednesday by using an unexpected but simple procedural move to remove all spending measures from Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining legislation and voting to approve it without Democrats present.
As the lawmakers left the Assembly, the protesters exchanged high-fives with the Democrats and chanted “thank you” as they wound through the crowd.