Report: 25K Protested In Madison On Thursday (VIDEO)

25,000 people turned out for Thursday's protests in Madison, Wisc., according to the Associated Press, in the third day of demonstrations against Gov. Scott Walker's (R) controversial proposal to strip most state government workers of their collective bargaining rights.

TPM SLIDESHOW: Mad In Madison: Wisconsin Workers Protest Against Governor's Budget Proposals
Protesters filled the Capitol building, chanting "Kill the Bill!" and "Recall Walker Now!" WisPolitics reports that even as late as 10 p.m., some demonstrators continued to chant and bang drums in the building's rotunda:

Because the Assembly did not adjourn, the Capitol must remain open, meaning protesters can bunk down for another night in the Capitol if they so choose.Some people had brought along sleeping bags to spend the night.

"The fact that the Democrats have walked out, it shows they're listening to us," Neil Graupner, a 19-year-old technical college student from Madison, told the AP. Graupner was one of those who planned to stay in the Capitol overnight.

WisPolitics reports that the atmosphere in the Capitol "took on a new edge" on Thursday. The number of protesters also raised the actual temperature in the building.

With an estimated 5,000 protesters jammed in the building, the Capitol was noticeably warmer and more humid than normal for the middle of winter. A number of leggie offices opened their windows to let in fresh air, a rarity in February even on a day when the temperature eked into the 50s.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/report-25k-protested-in-madison-on-thursday-video.php