Protests Continue Despite Arrests at the Capitol

A larger-than-usual crowd of protesters gathered inside the State Capitol’s rotunda Friday in response to several arrests this week of people who were holding signs in the building’s rotunda.But there were no arrests.

Protesters chanted “we’re still here” after an hour-long gathering of the “Solidarity Singers” in the capitol’s rotunda.There was a light police presence at the event and no altercations.

Some who showed up were prepared to be arrested.Jason Huberty was arrested on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.He says the charge each time was unlawful display of a sign.Yesterday he was holding a copy of the constitution.Today he was holding an 18-foot banner.

“It went great,” he says.”It’s always as it’s been.We didn’t disrupt the use of the building.This is the lunch hour.And it’s actually really important for people who come from all parts of the state to see that the building is used this way by citizens and so that they know they can come here and use it as it’s designed, as a public forum.”

Huberty is a regular at capitol protests and says he’s been ticketed 17 times.Brian Standing was holding a placard that read “I’m holding a sign.Arrest me.”

“Rights are like muscles,” he says.”If you don’t exercise them, they get flabby and useless.And this is an opportunity for us to exercise those rights and make sure we still have them.”

The Department of Administration had no immediate comment on why there were no arrests today.Some protesters credited a court decision from this week.Others wondered whether another factor was at play.There were permitted events in the rotunda earlier this week.There were no permitted events today.