Let's Start Some Conversations: Comparison of Wisconsin protests 2011 to 1/6/2021

“Remember in 2011 when tens of thousands of Democrats surged on the Wisconsin Capitol building in Madison and physically occupied it for more than two weeks? We were told, "This is what democracy looks like."” -

From what I have found in the below sources.

1. “Beginning in February involving at its zenith as many as 100,000 protesters” in Wisconsin is from February 14, 2011 – June 16, 2011 (9). Estimated number for the crowd on 1/6/2021 is “several thousand people, even 10,000 maybe” (10).

2. I was not familiar with this event prior to researching it but from what I have found:

people did sleep in the capitol, with permission, if that is what “occupied” meant (15) (14) (13) (2).

3. “This is what democracy looks like” was the title of some pieces of work but I couldn't find someone being quoted saying that (11) (12).

My thoughts-

The amount of property damage is not even close to comparable (1-7).

Physical violence not even comparable (1-7).

There were threats made by protestors in Wisconsin (5)(6)(9) and they were held responsible- “10+ arrested (5).

The events of 1/6/2021 are still under investigation but as of the research I have done today- 68 people were arrested between Wednesday night and Thursday morning (16), 13 have been charged federally (7), 5 people are dead (7) and “many” injured. Some of those dead and injured are police officers. That is not even taking into account those who will become ill from this experience, COVID, PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc.

I did not find any evidence of weapons being brought to Wisconsin, though there were tractors. We know that there were weapons of many kinds brought to the nation’s Capital.

And I feel it’s worth mentioning, they brought a gallo, a gallo.

Lastly, in Wisconsin they were able to stay in session and do their work (1). In the Capitol, they were not (6).

(1)https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2021/01/08/wisconsin-act-10-protests-vs-capitol-riot-breach-4-key-differences-violence-arrests-deaths-damage/6584619002/

(2)https://www.nbc15.com/2021/01/07/us-congressman-says-wisconsin-act-10-protests-are-incomparable-to-capitol-hill-violence/

(3)https://www.npr.org/2011/02/17/133847336/wis-democratic-lawmakers-flee-to-prevent-vote

(4)https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/wisconsin-14-group-of-democratic-senators-returns-greeted-by-thousands-at-capitol/2011/03/12/ABB28IS_story.html

(5)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Wisconsin_protests#Law_enforcement_actions

(6)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Wisconsin_protests#Political

(7)https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/thirteen-charged-federal-court-following-riot-united-states-capitol

(8)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol

(9)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Wisconsin_protests

(10)https://news.yahoo.com/difficult-not-impossible-estimate-size-132937968.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADKZV9Rn77_cXrWXIsrD5fnfr2RNJXYAKqeomh78yXMFebCGj1g_V0bPpI6_4kmPra0PqNJyq_nfevZKZfWVDsXgsa50bTrgScXamjpdGgvukIBXygKRBWOxj-c6ZxIJ9-xPBbJQ2QHluAPpMykTcPb0VFMfMhZPxHlH-0MP44yX