Protesters in Wisconsin leave Capitol

MADISON, Wis. – With a final group hug and a rousing rendition of “Solidarity Forever,” the last large group of demonstrators left the state Capitol on Thursday night, hours after a judge ordered their removal.

The more than two-week occupation of the state Capitol ended peacefully, as Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs gently prodded and patiently waited for around 50 of the last holdout protesters to file out of the rotunda.

“We have to get back to normalcy,” Tubbs said. “I’m asking you tonight to please leave.”

At 9:30 p.m., a half hour after the main group left, no arrests were reported, although six protesters remained in the building.

The pro-union protesters had occupied the Capitol to show their opposition to Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Earlier Thursday, in a historic ruling after three days of testimony, Dane County Circuit Court Judge John Albert issued an interim order calling for the immediate removal of overnight protesters at the State Capitol and putting state officials on notice that improved access to the building has to be in place by Monday.

In his order, Albert said the state Department of Administration’s most recent policy on access to the Capitol violated the state constitution by hampering citizens’ and legislators’ ability to exercise their right to free speech and assembly.

At the same time, however, he agreed with state officials, who said the protesters, dubbed the Rotunda Community, were violating existing state administrative rules and must leave.