The recent arrests of Wisconsin state Capitol protesters have sparked differing opinions about whether those actions are a major violation of the First Amendment or just sound law enforcement.
Progressive political editor Ruth Conniff said she thought the arrests violated the U.S. Constitution. While Wisconsin Technology Council president Tom Still said he disagreed and that he thinks protesters should apply for a permit instead of continuing to risk arrest. The two debated this point on Friday morning on "The Joy Cardin Show" on Wisconsin Public Radio.
Capitol police have issued dozens of citations since Wednesday when 22 Solidarity Singers gathered for their traditional lunchtime sing-along -- two more than the current threshold at which groups are currently required to have permits if they want to gather in the Capitol Rotunda.
Since Wednesday, the lunchtime gathering, which sings about a variety of topics, including protesting Gov. Scott Walker’s policies, has seen continued citations and a markedly increased number of singers.
“There is a process, that’s been upheld by a judge,” Still said, of the permitting rules.
He said they’re necessary because it’s also a place of business.
“The Capitol is not just one group’s forum," he said.
Earlier this month, a federal judge struck down the original rule, which set the limit at four people, and raised the number to 20.
“Obviously , four was way too few,” Still said. “You could have four friends meeting randomly and exceed that.”
Conniff said the group shouldn’t have to get a permit, and has held off from applying for one because they doubt they’d be given one, and are never sure how many show up in a given day.
Furthermore, she said she thinks the rule was designed to punish anti-Walker protesters and prevent a recurrence of the massive protests that surrounded the Capitol and dominated the headlines in the spring of 2011.
“The struggle to control the Capitol building and control what goes on here has been sort of a graphic illustration of what’s been happening in our state government,” Conniff said. “The things those people were protesting in 2011 continue to advance in this state.”
“This is a huge violation of citizens’ rights to express themselves," she said.
But Still wasn’t sure the group had reason to violate the new rules, especially not if they hadn’t tried to get a permit yet.
“A lot of people are probably asking, ‘What’s the point?’” he says. “I think perhaps the Solidarity Singers can test the permit system and apply. If they apply and get turned down, who knows, maybe that makes their point.”
