This is what democracy looks like:
The state Capitol reopened to the public at 8 p.m. after Senate Democrats refused to take up action on any bills until the doors were unlocked.
The decision to reopen the building followed a meeting involving the governor and leaders of the Washington State Patrol, Department of General Administration and Senate Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, announced on the Senate floor that there would be no activity until the situation was resolved.
She later issued this statement:
“This evening, the doors of the capitol building were closed briefly to the public because of earlier arrests during a protest outside the Governor’s office.
“The Senate Democratic leadership team did not agree with this decision and was not informed of it beforehand. We cannot presume, based on the actions of others, that individuals who are exercising their first amendment right to free speech intend to be disruptive or unlawful.
“On behalf of the public, the Legislature is heading into the critical final weeks of the 2011 regular legislative session. But our leadership team was not in support of conducting public business while the proceedings were closed to the public, and resumed floor activity only after the building was re-opened.”
Several Senate Democrats were openly peeved that lobbyists continued entering the building even after the building had been placed in lockdown status at 5 p.m.
“Paid lobbyists could get in and the people couldn’t,” said Sen. Maralyn Chase, D-Edmonds. “I wasn’t having it. We staged a mini-protest and the forces of democracy prevailed.”
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