Today the Koch-financed Americans for Prosperity launched a "Stand with Scott Walker" bus tour across Wisconsin. I decided to drop by their noon visit at Serb Hall in Milwaukee. I don't think this event was publicized widely, I saw it on the Wisconsin AFL-CIO site yesterday and decided to go. Serb Hall is in a working class neighborhood on Milwaukee's south side.
When I arrived a saw a LOT of protesters marching and yelling on both sides of the street. I arrived a few minutes after the Koch-fueled bus pulled up, so I missed the jeering at the Walker people as they left the bus. The shouting was intense and tons of cars honked as they drove by. This crowd was not a bunch of smelly college slobs--they were mostly tradesmen. I saw signs for Pipefitters, Sheet Metal Workers, and Electricians. This was an agitated group. The police were friendly and everyone was well-behaved but the anger was palpable.
My guess is there were about 300 people there. Local TV news was covering it.
Eventually the Walker people left. There appeared to be only 5 people who boarded the bus, they did so individually. The crowd really started chanting when the bus started up! We started yelling "KILL THE BILL! KILL THE BILL! KOCHSUCKERS!" As the bus pulled away many in the crowd shook their fists at it.
Two of the protesters were well-dressed woman who looked to be in their late 70s. They were chanting "kochsucker!" along with everyone else. Hey Scotty, if little old ladies are willing to scream this in public--you might have a problem.