People camping to raise awareness near the mining sites are being threatened with arrest because they may not have adequate permits - - though Native Americans have the right under treaties to assemble and use the area they ceded to the US Government to create the State of Wisconsin and the region's modern economy.
People singing in the State Capitol in Madison (many of whom are seniors) were considered a threat to law and order, and were arrested, again, on Wednesday, because they did not have the proper permit; people with licenses to carry concealed weapons were not considered a threat and were allowed to enter the State Capitol.
Where legislators are working on a bill to ban people altogether from the Northern Wisconsin mining areas even though much of the land involved is either owned by local governments (the public) or has guaranteed public access in exchange for tax breaks to the owners subsidized by other people's taxes.
Also to be off-limits: access to lakes, wetlands and streams in the mining area, though the Public Trust Doctrine in the State Constitution guarantees that Wisconsin waters belong to everyone and access to state waters cannot be denied. There are no private waterways in Wisconsin. Period.
The mining company has said it intends to bring back the para-military guards once their licenses are in order. Presumably their job will be to keep people out of the sites, the waters and the lands ceded to the public (the state) by Ojibwe bands. Presumably also barred.
So everyone will be singing from the same hymnal.
