Capitol Police Declare Today’s Solidarity Sing Along Unlawful, Threaten Arrests

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Police threatened to arrest people gathered for a daily noontime sing along at the Wisconsin State Capitol today.

They referenced a judge’s recent ruling on the size of crowds allowed without a permit.

The preliminary injunction issued last week by U.S. District Judge William Conley temporarily blocked the Department of Administration from requiring a permit for crowds of 20 or fewer.

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When a crowd two to three times that size gathered without a permit for the daily Solidarity Sing Along protest on the ground floor of the state Capitol, police used a bullhorn from the floor above to declare the gathering an “unlawful event.”

Because of the singing, it was hard to hear the announcement. Protesters who were on the ground floor when it was made said they couldn’t make out what police said. Despite the warning, it did not appear that police made any arrests on site.

The Department of Administration did not respond when asked if there were any arrests today. In the past, Capitol Police have mailed or hand-delivered citations to protesters’ homes.