2011 Wisconsin protests

2011 Wisconsin protests
Part of 2011 United States public employee protests
Thousands gather inside Madison Wisconsin's Capitol rotunda to protest Governor Walker's proposed bill.
Date	February 14, 2011 (2011-02-14) – June 16, 2011 (2011-06-16)
Location	Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. 43°4′29.6″N 89°23′8.2″W / 43.074889°N 89.385611°W / 43.074889; -89.385611
Caused by	Opposition to certain provisions in legislation (Budget Repair Bill) proposed by Governor Scott Walker to limit public employee collective bargaining and address a state budget shortfall.
Methods	Protests, sit-ins, demonstrations, recall elections, quorum-busting
Status	Active protests ended by late June 2011; several pending lawsuits
Concessions	none; Budget Repair Bill passed; 2 Republican State Senators recalled from office (8/9/2011); 2 Democratic State Senators win recall elections on 8/16/11; Failed recall attempt of Governor Scott Walker.
Parties
Political organizations: Democratic Party of Wisconsin Organizing for America[1][2] Unions: SEIU IWW WEAC (NEA affiliate) Republican Party of Wisconsin Anti-tax activists, many affiliated with the Tea Party movement
Lead figures
Non-centralized leadership Wisconsin Democratic Legislature figures: Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca Wisconsin Senate 14 Tim Carpenter Spencer Coggs Tim Cullen Jon Erpenbach Dave Hansen Jim Holperin Robert Jauch Chris Larson Julie Lassa Mark Miller Fred Risser Lena Taylor Kathleen Vinehout Robert Wirch Governor Scott Walker Wisconsin Republican Legislature figures: Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald President of the Senate Michael Ellis Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder
Number
Protesters: 100,000+[3] Counter protesters: Several thousand[4][5]
Casualties and losses
Arrests: 10+[6][7]

The 2011 Wisconsin protests were a series of demonstrations in the state of Wisconsin in the United States beginning in February involving as many as 100,000 protesters^[3] opposing the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also called the "Wisconsin Budget Repair bill." The protests centered on the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, with satellite protests also occurring at other municipalities throughout the state.^[8][9] Demonstrations took place at various college campuses, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison^[10] and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.^[11] After the collective bargaining bill was upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on June 14,^[12] the number of protesters declined to about 1,000 within a couple days.^[13]

The protests were a major driving force for recall elections of state senators in 2011 and 2012, the failed recall of Governor Scott Walker in 2012 and a contentious Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2011.