How many do YOU think were at Madison's Rally yesterday? - see pics

[eowyn_of_rohan]

Most news sources, and the Madison police dept are saying 80,000 to 100,000. Others say as many as 250,000.
View West - toward State Street



View Down the upper part of State Street - people extended all the way to lower end



View toward the Capitol - a small section of the building



View East - note the side streets are full of people, too



Southeast View toward Capitol


PLUS These pics don't include the people on the OTHER SIDES of the Capitol, and pouring in from all side streets.

[PeaceNikki]

1. DoA estimates 25 protesters at Capitol yesterday and that they did $75 million in damage

[Sabriel]

3. That's about right, coming from them

We drove around the Capitol last night on our way out of town (around 9 p.m.), and it was completely tidied up.

The trashcans were full, with boxes of overflow stacked neatly next to each one. Except for the muddied lawn, you couldn't tell there had been a huge rally just hours earlier.

[Scuba]

2. I counted 272,641, but I might have missed a few when I was in the "blue room".

[eowyn_of_rohan]

4. :) That is the exact # I counted

What Blue Room? What did I miss?

[Scuba]

22. "Blue Room" is a euphemism for "PortaPotty", at least colloqually.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

23. aha - I haven't heard that one -nt

[Myrina]

5. Estimates were 100K ... biggest yet ...

... and the weather's just gonna get nicer :evilgrin:

[PeaceNikki]

7. Some estimates were up to 250K.

I was there yesterday and 2 weeks ago. The estimates 2 weeks ago were 100k. I can tell you that there were definitely far more yesterday.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

9. We already HAD a rally with 100,000 on February 26

Those who attended both say this was way bigger!

[PeaceNikki]

I was there 2/26 and yesterday. There were definitely FAR more people yesterday.

You could hardly move.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

14. It looked and felt that way to me, and I am glad you think so, too

i missed the Feb 26 protest. My nephew, who was with me yesterday, did attend that one, and he said this was far bigger, as well. Others have agreed with you two. Why can't they tell the truth? I can see why the RW wants to be "conservative" (oops - ha) but why the police department?

[Myrina]

13. Ouch, jesus ... no need to snap at me ....

.... I'm just adding what I've read ....

:wtf:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

15. oh no - I didnt mean to sound that way!

sorry - I am just overly excited about it all :hi:

[mzteris]

6. if they admitted to 100k a few weeks ago -

then this had to be at least 200K.

WAY WAY more people. Couldn't even move people were packed in so tight on two sides.

[PeaceNikki]

8. lol, GMTA - see my post.

[Zambero]

10. Glenn Beck will likely say 14 rioters and looters

who were shouted down by 10,000,000 teabaggers in every corner of the country, and his viewers will buy it.

[xchrom]

11. recommend

[upi402]

12. CNN estimates 1,400 and many many many Teaparty counter-protestets!!!!

just kidding (but that may be closer to true than I know)
:rofl: :dilemma: :shrug: :argh:
Great pics, wonderful folks! thanks

[Poboy]

16. Recommend

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

17. I am sure if they are even acknowledged

They will be called rioters.

(edited to add: WHOA. Look at my post count. I'll have to think about where and when I post again).

[HereSince1628]

18. At the rally I attended that was estimated to be 75K

there was ample room to move around.

By 3PM yesterday the only open room I saw was in muddiest stretches of the lawn. Yesterday's crowds also pushed out of the square and down the side streets.

I think it's fair to say that across the last month attendance totals in Madison alone are up over half a million maybe closer to 700K. We are talking about a protest presence equal to or greater than 1 in 10 Wisconsinites (total population) showing up in late winter weather. There are less than 4 million registered voters in Wisconsin.

There is no doubt that WE outnumber THEM. There is no doubt that WE are doing this WITHOUT corporate sponsors.

Yes, the union busting putsch went through the WI legislature (I won't say it was 'passed' because it is the subject of a couple court cases), BUT the upheaval around that has reshaped the landscape of the 2012 election.

[ChiciB1]

19. To Me, Easily 200,000... But I Heard MSNBC Say 89,000! REALLY SICK

with the DOWN PLAY! Wish I could have been there. How I wish I could have been there!

[eowyn_of_rohan]

21. How I wish you could have!

But it was really cold and windy! And so crowded that it was sometimes overwhelming and made you feel trapped! 99% of us could hear, but not see the speakers. Every bar, restaurant, coffee shop etc was PACKED all day so you could hardly ever sit down. I am nearly exhausted today! (Just trying to make you feel better ;)

[ChiciB1]

27. FLORIDA Is Very Warm... But Too Far Away... I Need Moolah, But Don't

WE ALL! I can't "fathom" the cold!! At 60 I pull out flannel shirts, jeans and heavy socks! But the summers are pretty brutal here! We did have a rather cold winter thought, if you call it that.

Generally we have only TWO seasons... Spring & Summer. I'm with you in spirit believe me.
:hug:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

30. Oh, I can tell you are! :)

And it means a lot to us all. It helps to fuel our passion up here! I just returned from Florida last week. The weather, ocean, plant life, etc were beautiful. I miss it and the colors, since it is bleak here right now. Wisconsin is very nice May through Oct . That would be a nice time for you to visit! Thank you so much!

[ChiciB1]

34. Would LOVE To Get Up There... Been Wanting To See Your Part Of The World

for a very, very long time! Just can't seem to swing it right now. Of course, RIGHT NOW would be much to cold for me. But "seeing" snow would be nice but only for a little while.

[lunatica]

20. I hear recalls are starting

I hope Scott Walker has the worst year of his political life ending with his recall a year from now. His pals, the Koch brothers will lose interest in him when they realize he's a loser for them.

[elocs]

24. What a comparison! When I was there Friday the streets were comparatively empty. n/t

[eowyn_of_rohan]

25. When we got there at about 11:30 yesterday it was much less crowded

...we began walking with others in the street around the Square. By the 2nd lap it was PACKED, and we moved to the less-crowded sidewalk...within about 15 minutes the sidewalks were also stiflingly packed! It was unbelievable how quickly it filled in. Here is a picture from around 10:00 am yesterday.

[PeaceNikki]

26. Many buses from upstate were running late.

By noon it was INSANE!

[elocs]

29. I was going to take my goddaughter yesterday, but we had to go Friday instead.

I kept telling her on Friday that we should be here on Saturday because the crowd would be huge. She enjoyed it because she got lots of attention and people were taking her picture. I told her that on Saturday she would be overwhelmed with people wanting to take her picture. Why, because here she is, and I bet nobody knew it was a girl:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

31. A group of these characters were there yesterday, too

I took my nephew - he LOVED these masked protestors and knew just what they were representing (I had no clue). His high school had a walk-out Friday and he saw your god-daughter then, as well. Don't you just love the street theater at the protests?

[elocs]

32. We saw the walk out yesterday when all the kids marched through and then down State St.

I did get to go into the capitol building on Friday which I wasn't able to do two weeks ago. My goddaughter probably had her picture taken 40 times including one last time on our walk back to the car just a couple of blocks away, something I was not able to do a couple of weeks ago either.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

33. She & her group looked fabulously weird ;) EVERYONE..

wanted pictures of them. I neglected to bring a spare battery for my camera and was BUMMED that is stopped working about a half hour after I arrived. Did get some photos though, now just have to download them

[eowyn_of_rohan]

28. Also want to add - See the greenish grass on the Capitol lawn at 10am? It is ALL MUD now

Trampled down ... Wonder if they will have to re-sod the whole lawn!