St. Paul

UPDATE 9pm: No arrests are occurring tonight at the Capitol in Madison but police say they will evaluate the situation on a nightly basis.  The crowd is thinning out, but hundreds still remain.  In other news, one Republican State Senator has announced his opposition to Scott Walker's bill, bringing the number of new Republican no votes now needed to 2.  Read more at Fight Back! News or via our Twitter list.

by Jaime Hokanson--I've traveled to numerous rallies at the State Capitol in St. Paul; the vast capitol lawn usually makes me feel small in the shadow of power, anxious about finding "my people".  But walking up Cedar Street Tuesday afternoon, as I joined two, then 12, then many more strangers walking in the same direction--well, more than a February chill hung in the air.

Approaching the capitol steps, we spotted burly men with blue "POLICE" sweatshirts standing at the main doors.  While at most protests these guards would be there to keep the people out, on Tuesday they were members of the St. Paul Police Federation showing support for workers' rights.