Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Covid Chronicles. Chapter 31: ‘Reopen Wisconsin’ Rally at State Capitol


Read chapter 30 here

Photos by Retiring Guy

Sunday, April 26, 2020 
 

Capital Times, 4/24/2020


The headline grabbed my attention like an unexpected punch. 

Thousands?! I asked myself, my skepticism spiking. Where did the reporter dig up that number

Earlier in the week, JoAnna and I talked about lurking at the edges of the rally, if only to inspect its size and demographics without a media filter. 

“Are you still up for going to the rally?” I asked her Saturday morning. 

It was scheduled to start on the Capitol Square at 1:00. 

“I planned a route so we’ll be sure to keep our distance,” I added. “We can park on Langdon Street and then walk the few blocks to the Square.” 

I figured the best approach was from the east or north, as most rallies take place at the west side of the Capitol, where State Street begins. 

She balked at the idea as soon as she heard me say ‘walk’. 

“Can’t we just drive there?” she asked. ”I don’t want to be seen as identifying with the protesters.” 

 “We won’t be getting that close.” I assured her. “Besides, the streets around the Capitol are best to be avoided. The protesters want to create gridlock and shut the area down.” 

Or as a visiting fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation put it, “They’re going to shut down the Capitol – shh, don’t tell anybody.”


As you can see from the Wisconsin State Journal headline, Governor Evers closed the Capitol to the public in March. The majority of legislators and their aides are working remotely, as are most employees in the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Supreme Court. There’s nothing to shut down. And the gridlock they created at the Saturday rally only served to make first responders, people dealing with real emergencies, rethink their route through the Isthmus. That’s how myopic these folks are. They’re unable to think in real time. Or think straight, for that matter. 




My game plan made JoAnna too uneasy to participate, so I went solo. I anticipated heavy traffic somewhere on Johnson Street between North Broom and State Street (red arrow on aerial screenshot), but the flow on this major Isthmus artery remained steady. I sneaked a glance of the Capitol as I crossed State Street and noted that a modest crowd had gathered. Nine years ago, many Isthmus streets would have been closed to traffic during the anti-Walker rallies, which at their peak attracted more than 100,000 participants. 


During my walk around the Capitol Square (orange arrows), I initially looked for the safest perches to take photos but eventually engaged in riskier behavior since JoAnna wasn’t around to hold me back. (I refrained from wading into the crowd, though.) 

(Video taken from east entrance of State Capitol)

Most of the protestors gathered on the walkway and lawn at the west entrance, not practicing social distancing but not packed in like sardines. Cars, trucks, and motorcycles paraded around the Capitol, moving at a rate of 0.1 miles per hour. In other words, they weren’t moving much at all. 


Many participants held signs and American flags. I saw MAGA gear — primarily baseball caps and shirts — everywhere. It was, indeed, a Trump rally, with no people of color to be found. If God had decided to wave His hand to make the white people disappear, the Capitol Square would have instantly become deserted. Good thing he wasn’t in a vengeful mood cuz I wouldn’t be around to share my rally experience. The remarks by a series of indignant speakers, amplified at ear-splitting levels, would have kept fact checkers busy for at least a week. I heard a heavy dose of Bible passages, one person proclaiming that “faith in God is all we need.” 

(Video taken from North Carroll Street)

Based on my admittedly biased observations, I estimated a crowd size of at least 1,000 — and that’s counting people who were part of the in-car protest. That number includes people like me who were there for the show and to take pictures. I tentatively counted at least 20 possible comrades-in-arms. 




In its follow-up story, the Wisconsin State Journal gave a more generous attendance assessment. 


 By way of comparison, take a look at these photo from the March 12, 2011, pro-labor rally spilling out from the Capitol Square, in which tens of thousands participated. 



Read chapter 32 here



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