Cops Won't Evict Wisconsin Protesters

No one on the left or right in Wisconsin appears ready to back down, but it looks like the labor rights supporters can keep on demonstrating, at least for now. Authorities backed down yesterday from their plan to remove protesters from around the state Capitol, where hundreds of labor rights supporters and others have been demonstrating for nearly two weeks, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The state's Department of Administration had said they would close the park at 4pm yesterday for cleaning, but hundreds of protesters refused to leave, daring authorities to arrest them. By 7pm, the Capitol police chief announced protesters could stay. One off-duty police officer who is protesting said it was "surreal" to be facing arrest. "But it's because I'm a police officer that I'm here, and it's because I'm a parent" wanting to set a good example, he said. (More Wisconsin stories.)