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  MADISON, Wis. (AP) - About 50 pro-union protesters peacefully
left the state Capitol late Thursday after a judge ruled they could
no longer spend the night to show their opposition to Gov. Scott
Walker's proposal to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining
rights for public workers.


      The judge also ruled the state had violated the public's free
speech and assembly rights by restricting access to the building.


      The protesters demanded to see a written copy of the order
before they would go. University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief
Susan Riseling read the order to the crowd, eliciting cheers when
she read the judge's determination that the state had
unconstitutionally restricted access to the building.


      "We won this battle," said former Attorney General Peggy
Lautenschlager, who represented unions that had challenged the
state's decision to limit building access. But she also told the
demonstrators they needed to leave.


      Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs repeatedly urged the crowd to
leave peacefully.


      "I don't want to see anybody arrested," he said.


      Ultimately, the protesters left without incident, exiting to the
beat of drums and cheers from supporters who greeted them with hugs
and high-fives outside the doors. There were no arrests.


      The drama played out after Dane County Circuit Judge John Albert
directed authorities to immediately take actions to remove
demonstrators who stayed in the Capitol after its normal 6 p.m.
closing time. He also ordered the removal of unauthorized
materials, such as sleeping bags, air mattresses and the hundreds -
perhaps even thousands - of signs that protesters have taped to the
Capitol's walls.


      "We decided we didn't want to stoop to the level of Scotty and
his minions. We decided it would be best for our image to leave
tonight peacefully and come back tomorrow," said Matt Rowe, 21, of
Madison, carrying an armful of blankets after he left the building.


      At times, tens of thousands of people have congregated on the
Capitol grounds during the past couple of weeks. About 100 people
ignored a 4 p.m. Sunday deadline to leave the building so it could
be cleaned, instead sleeping on the floor and occasionally banging
drums and chanting.


      Since Monday, the Department of Administration has restricted
public access to the building, generally allowing in more
protesters only when an equal number left. Unions challenged the
policy in court, leading to Thursday's night's interim order. The
lawsuit could continue.


      The decision was a partial victory for protesters, because
Albert determined that the policy restricting public access
violated constitutional rights and ordered the state to re-open the
Capitol with greater public access by 8 a.m. Monday. Although it
was not detailed in his written order, the judge issued an oral
order in court allowing the administration to institute permitting
procedures that limit the times and locations where rallies can be
held in the Capitol.


      "Free speech, protests, rallies should be allowed during the
hours the Capitol is open and at any other time when either house
of the Legislature is in session or any committee or government
body is conducting a public hearing," the judge said. "But it is
completely within the rights of the people who run the Capitol to
prevent people from entering ... with sleeping bags, pillows, mats
and blankets and intending to remain after closing hours."


      As word of the impending court order spread, some protesters
carrying coffins rushed in through the main Capitol entrance and
were met by others with chants of "police stand down," as
officers stood between them. Eventually, Tubbs, the Capitol police
chief, addressed the crowd, asking members of the mock funeral
procession to leave and gathering the remaining protesters into the
Rotunda. A debate ensued among protesters as to whether they should
stay or go.


      Stuart Levitan, a local radio host, tried to persuade protesters
that staying only would lead to arrest and paint them in an
unfavorable light.


      "The more it turns into a drum circle, the more likely it is
that the bill will pass" restricting union benefits and bargaining
powers, Levitan said.


      Albert's ruling came after three days of testimony from more
than 30 witnesses, including lawmakers, Capitol staff and
protesters. On Thursday, a firefighter recounted how a crew
responding to an elevator emergency call initially was denied
access to the building because it went to a different door than the
one designated for the public. One of Walker's staff members,
meanwhile, described how the deafening noise from protesters made
it difficult to work.


      Riseling, the university police chief, testified that 41 rounds
of .22-caliber ammunition were found Thursday morning scattered at
several locations outside the Capitol. No guns were found with
them.


      "I don't like to see live ammunition outside when I have
significant crowds," Riseling said.


      Assistant Attorney General Steven Means, who is representing the
Department of Administration in the lawsuit, had asked the judge to
order the building closed for security purposes.


      Lautenschlager said in court that the request to close the
Capitol was an overreaction to the discovery of the ammunition.


      "For all we know somebody planted them there - we don't know if
it was a protester," she said.


      Associated Press writers Scott Bauer and Jason Smathers
contributed to this report.

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About 50 pro-union protesters peacefully
left the state Capitol late Thursday after a judge ruled they could
no longer spend the night to show their opposition to Gov. Scott
Walker's proposal to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining
rights for public workers.

Protesters peacefully leave Capitol after ruling

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