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Police Handcuff Nearly 20 Singers At Wis. Capitol

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Police have handcuffed more protesters in the Wisconsin Capitol rotunda as their crackdown on almost-daily sing-alongs continues.

A group of protesters have been singing songs complaining about Republican Gov. Scott Walker and GOP policies in the rotunda almost every noon hour for more than two years. Police launched a crackdown on them on July 24 for lacking a permit. They've issued more than 140 citations.

The singers contend they don't need a permit to exercise their free speech rights. A federal judge has ruled the state can require permits for large groups.

Capitol Police handcuffed about 20 singers on Monday and led them away to their basement headquarters. The rest of the group sang on, ending the noon hour by chanting "we're not going away."

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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