Wisconsin State House Cleaned Out, Layoffs Expected

After 17 consecutive days of protests, demonstrators have left the Wisconsin State House. A judge ordered it closed for 48 hours for cleaning, and said protesters could only return during business hours.

Some protesters who refused to leave last Sunday night ignored orders to remain on the ground floor, and resulted in no additional protesters being permitted to enter the building. Now all protesters have been removed from the building after hours.

The Wisconsin battle over union rights intensified Friday as state workers were threatened with layoffs and Democratic lawmakers who had fled Wisconsin to block legislation faced arrest and fines.

Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Scott Walker said he would begin sending layoff notices to 1,500 Wisconsin state workers on Friday if a weeks-long standoff over his plans to remove collective bargaining rights does not end.