Colin Snow
In 2011, thousands of protesters occupied the Wisconsin state Capitol square to demonstrate against Governor Scott Walker's plans to cut funding for healthcare and eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public employees. This incident, among others, prompted Walker to increase security for himself and his family. While some sources mention protesters sleeping in the Capitol, there is no explicit mention of tents and sleeping bags. However, in 2018, an area in Milwaukee known as tent city was coined Walkerville by protesters who posted anti-Walker signs. More recently, in 2022, protesters in St. Petersburg brought tents and sleeping bags for a sleep-in demonstration on the steps of City Hall to protest rising rent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of protesters | First hundreds, then thousands, and tens of thousands. Eventually, more than 100,000 protesters occupied the Wisconsin State Capitol square. |
| Protesters' actions | Ignored orders of Capitol Police, broke into the Capitol building by crawling through windows, breaking down doors, and running over law enforcement. Protesters surrounded Scott Walker's car, blocked his exit, and rocked the vehicle. |
| Protesters' possessions | Sleeping bags and mats, tents |
| Protesters' demographics | Teachers, students, grandmothers, veterans, correctional officers, nurses, workers, military, police officers, firefighters, first responders, librarians, farmers |
| Protesters' motivations | Opposition to Scott Walker's policies, such as eliminating collective bargaining rights for most public employees and proposing steep cuts to the state budget |
| Location | Wisconsin State Capitol, Madison |
| Year | 2011 |
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What You'll Learn
- Scott Walker's controversial comments comparing Wisconsin protesters to ISIS terrorists
- Protestors' use of sleeping bags and tents to occupy the Wisconsin state Capitol
- The impact of Walker's policies on Wisconsinites, including loss of access to vital programs
- The role of police during the protests and their response to the occupation of the Capitol
- The motivation and demographics of the protesters, including private-sector workers and farmers
Scott Walker's controversial comments comparing Wisconsin protesters to ISIS terrorists
In 2011, Scott Walker, the Republican Governor of Wisconsin, eliminated collective bargaining rights for most public employees, putting an end to 50 years of Wisconsin law and tradition. He also proposed steep cuts to the state budget. These changes prompted massive protests which received national and international coverage.
On February 26, 2015, Walker claimed that his experience with the Wisconsin protests in 2011 prepared him for the fight against ISIS ("Islamic State"). When asked how he would handle ISIS if elected president, Walker replied, "If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world."
Walker's comments were widely condemned, with many people interpreting them as comparing the Wisconsin protesters to ISIS terrorists. Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, said, "To compare the hundreds of thousands of teachers, students, grandmothers, veterans, correctional officers, nurses, and all the workers who came out to peacefully protest and stand together for their rights as Americans to ISIS terrorists is disgusting and unacceptable." Jim Tucciarelli, president of a New York City local of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, told The Guardian, "It's disgusting to hear Scott Walker compare the 100,000 hardworking men, women, senior citizens, and children who came out to protest in Wisconsin to the terrorists of Isis... The protesters were members of the military, police officers, firefighters, and first responders. They were librarians, teachers, and nurses. How desperate do you have to be as a politician to compare those folks to murderous terrorists?"
In response to the backlash, Walker and his representatives insisted that he was not comparing the protesters to terrorists. Walker clarified, "There's no comparison between the two, let me be perfectly clear... I'm just pointing out the closest thing I have to handling a difficult situation was the 100,000 protesters I had to deal with." Walker's spokeswoman, Kirsten Kukowski, said, "Governor Walker believes our fight against ISIS is one of the most important issues our country faces. He was in no way comparing any American citizen to ISIS... What the governor was saying was when faced with adversity, he chooses strength and leadership. Those are the qualities we need to fix the leadership void this White House has created."
Despite these clarifications, Walker's comments continued to be controversial, and some people remained critical of his comparison between the Wisconsin protests and the fight against ISIS.
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Protestors' use of sleeping bags and tents to occupy the Wisconsin state Capitol
In 2011, thousands of protesters occupied the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison to demonstrate against Governor Scott Walker's plans to cut collective bargaining rights and the state budget. While the protests were largely peaceful, with participants playing board games and delivering speeches, some protesters ignored the orders of Capitol Police and even re-entered the building by force after being removed.
During the protests, sleeping bags and mats were stashed in the corners of the Capitol building, and homemade posters and cartoons were taped to the walls. Protesters also played drums and delivered speeches about solidarity. While the exact number of protesters who used sleeping bags and tents is unclear, at one point, only a few hundred protesters remained inside the Capitol, with the rest having gradually left after police restricted access.
The protests in Wisconsin were not limited to the Capitol building. For example, in March 2011, thousands of people protested a Walker fundraiser in Washburn, and in La Crosse, protesters blocked and rocked the car of Governor Walker.
In addition to the protests in Wisconsin, a "tent city" was established in Milwaukee, where anti-Walker signs were posted. This area, known as "Walkerville," was home to a part of the city's homeless population. While it is not explicitly stated that the residents of this tent city were protesters, their presence may have been a form of protest against the Walker administration's welfare reforms, which allegedly resulted in reduced access to nutrition and safety net programs for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites.
Overall, the use of sleeping bags and tents by protesters in Wisconsin was a part of a larger movement against the policies of Governor Scott Walker, which included both peaceful demonstrations and more confrontational tactics.
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The impact of Walker's policies on Wisconsinites, including loss of access to vital programs
Scott Walker's tenure as governor of Wisconsin was marked by controversial policies that significantly impacted the state and its residents. One of the most notable impacts was on the rights of working people and their ability to organize unions. Walker's policies restricted the right of citizens to dissent and limited their voice in the legislative process. He also attacked voting rights by signing a Voter ID bill considered the most restrictive in the United States.
In terms of healthcare, Walker's rejection of the full expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare cost Wisconsin an estimated $1 billion. While he argued that this decision was due to budget deficits, it resulted in reduced access to healthcare for Wisconsinites, especially those living slightly above the poverty level. Additionally, Walker's policies targeted women's rights and reproductive healthcare. He signed anti-choice laws that restricted access to abortion services and birth control, with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin suspending the provision of certain basic health services for women.
Walker's welfare reforms also drew criticism. While he claimed that these reforms would ensure help for those who truly need it and provide training to re-enter the workforce, critics argued that there were more cost-effective ways to address unemployment, such as investing in public transit and education programs. Walker's focus on fiscal conservatism and his commitment to "holding the line on property taxes" resulted in significant changes to Wisconsin's self-perception as a state.
Overall, Scott Walker's policies had a profound impact on Wisconsinites, shaping their access to vital programs and services. His conservative agenda transformed Wisconsin, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to shape the state even after his departure from office.
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The role of police during the protests and their response to the occupation of the Capitol
In 2011, more than 100,000 protesters occupied the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison to oppose then-Governor Scott Walker's measure to end collective bargaining for most of Wisconsin's public workers. The protests, which received national and international coverage, centred on the Capitol building, but there were also satellite protests at other municipalities and college campuses across the state.
The role of the police during these protests was to maintain order and security within the Capitol building and its grounds. Initially, police restricted access to the building, which resulted in a gradual decrease in the number of protesters inside the Capitol. However, thousands of protesters eventually occupied the Capitol, ignoring the orders of Capitol Police.
The police response to the occupation of the Capitol varied. In some cases, police officers took group photos of union members, and the unionists reciprocated by taking photos of the policemen. In other instances, police officers tackled lawmakers attempting to enter the Capitol, such as Rep. Nick Milroy, who was trying to retrieve his clothes.
As the protests continued, the security at the Capitol became more restrictive. Firefighters responding to an emergency call were denied access to the building, and bullets were found scattered around the Capitol grounds. Eventually, a court order was issued to remove the protesters from the Capitol, and they left peacefully.
Despite the presence of police, some protesters re-entered the Capitol by crawling through windows, breaking down doors, and running over law enforcement officers. The protests resulted in harassment and death threats to both Republican and Democratic senators, including Walker himself. These threats were investigated, and some individuals pleaded guilty to making bomb threats.
In the aftermath of the protests, Scott Walker compared the Wisconsin protesters to ISIS terrorists, a statement that was widely condemned. He also drew comparisons between the Wisconsin protests and the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, noting similarities in the size of the crowds and the occupation of the statehouse. However, others pointed out key differences between the two events, emphasizing that the Wisconsin protests were overwhelmingly peaceful.
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The motivation and demographics of the protesters, including private-sector workers and farmers
In 2011, tens of thousands of protesters occupied the Wisconsin state Capitol square, demonstrating against Governor Scott Walker, who was the 45th Governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019. The protests were sparked by the state's controversial collective bargaining bill, which was seen as an attack on the rights of public-sector workers and unions.
The demographics of the protesters were diverse and included teachers, police, firefighters, nurses, students, and farmers. Private-sector workers were also present, as the bill was perceived to impact their rights as well. The protesters were motivated by a desire to protect the rights of public-sector workers, including their ability to collectively bargain and be represented by unions. They also opposed the potential weakening of collective bargaining rights and pay cuts for state workers.
The protests gained support from various groups, including nonpartisan watchdog organisations like Wisconsin Common Cause and national groups like the Public Campaign Action Fund. The protesters were also joined by Tom Morello, the guitarist of Rage Against the Machine, whose mother was a union public school teacher.
Farmers participated in the protests by parading their farm vehicles around Capitol Square, showing solidarity with the cause. They were likely motivated by concerns over the potential impact of the bill on their livelihoods and the broader agricultural community.
While the exact details of the protesters' accommodations are unclear, the scale and duration of the protests suggest that some may have used tents and sleeping bags, especially if they travelled from other parts of the state to participate. The protests resulted in significant disruption, with the Wisconsin Administration Secretary claiming that the demonstrations caused a $6.5 million cost to the Capitol.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the protesters of Scott Walker used tents and sleeping bags. In February and March, protesters set up a tent city called "Walkerville" in the shadow of the Wisconsin State Capitol Building. Protesters also occupied the Capitol building, with sleeping bags and mats stashed in the corners.
Scott Walker, the former Republican Governor of Wisconsin, proposed steep cuts to the state budget and eliminated collective bargaining rights for most public employees.
In his book, "Unintimidated", Walker describes death threats against him and his family, as well as protests outside the governor's residence. Walker also compared the Wisconsin protesters to ISIS terrorists, a statement that was widely condemned.
