UPDATED Friday, November 18, 2011 --- 2:50 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin state worker who popped a protester's heart-shaped balloon has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and is back at work.
The Wisconsin State Journal (http://tiny.cc/xuia0) reported Friday that Ron Blair entered the plea on Thursday and was placed in a first-offenders program. He had been suspended with pay for the July 25 incident, but he is now back at work but not at the Capitol where he had been employed.
A spokesman for the Department of Administration would not say how long Blair had been back at work or where his current assignment is.
The criminal complaint said Blair told Leslie Peterson he popped her balloon because he was tired of retrieving them from the ceiling of the Capitol.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
Copyright 2011. The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Tuesday, August 30, 2011 --- 9:37 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A woman is claiming a state Capitol worker violated her constitutional rights by popping a balloon and allegedly slamming her against a door.
Leslie Peterson, of Madison, filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from Ronald Blair, an assistant director in the Division of State Facilities.
The 56-year-old Blair has been charged with disorderly conduct while armed. The altercation allegedly happened July 25 during a daily sing-along, which was an ongoing protest of the state law curtailing collective bargaining rights for public workers.
The lawsuit filed last Thursday alleges Blair violated Peterson's free speech and due process rights and subjected her to unreasonable search and seizure.
Blair's lawyer in the criminal case, Colleen Locke, told the Wisconsin State Journal (http://bit.ly/r9YnTc) she hasn't seen the lawsuit.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED Thursday, August 4, 2011 --- 10:00 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Prosecutors have charged a state Capitol worker with using a knife to pop a protester's balloon.
State Department of Administration Assistant Director of Facilities Ron Blair faces a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct with a dangerous weapon. Dane County Court Commissioner Ann Sayles on Thursday entered a not guilty plea for Blair and approved a signature bond with the condition he not use knives on the job.
According to a criminal complaint, Blair came up behind a protester in the Capitol on July 25 and used a knife on his multi-tool device to pop her balloon. He told police he just snapped.
Protesters angry over Gov. Scott Walker's divisive collective bargaining law have been gathering in the Capitol for a thundering sing-along every noon hour for months.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED: Friday, July 30, 2011 --- 2:17p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A net put in place across the state Capitol rotunda following an altercation over the release of balloons is going to be taken down.
State's facilities director, Jeff Plale, tells WISC-TV (http://bit.ly/nOz5Bd) the net is ugly and visitors have an expectation on what they will see when they walk in. He says the net was only a test and it will be down before the building opens Monday.
Workers installed it Friday -- one day after police arrested a state worker accused of popping a protester's balloon and pushing the woman into a door.
The state has banned balloons in the Capitol because they can damage the historic murals.
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Information from: WISC-TV, http://www.channel3000.com
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED Friday, July 29, 2011 --- 8:40 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A net has been put in place across the entire state Capitol rotunda following an altercation over the release of balloons.
The net installed before the Capitol opened on Friday is just above the fourth floor railing.
It comes after police arrested a state worker for allegedly popping a protester's balloon on Monday.
Police have arrested a state worker who allegedly popped a protester's balloon at the state Capitol Monday and pushed the woman into a door.
Protesters have been bringing balloons into the building and releasing them to the top of the rotunda, requiring state workers to retrieve them. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration did not immediately return a message Friday seeking details about the net.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED Thursday, July 28, 2011 --- 3:28 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Police have arrested a state worker who allegedly popped a protester's balloon at the state Capitol.
The state Department of Administration, which runs the Capitol and oversees the Capitol Police, issued a statement saying the worker was arrested on suspicion of endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon on Thursday. District Attorney Ismael Ozanne says he has to review the case before making a charging decision.
DOA has placed the worker on paid leave until the agency concludes an internal investigation.
Protesters demonstrating against Gov. Scott Walker's collective bargaining law have been bringing balloons to a daily sing-along in the Capitol rotunda. One of them claims the worker popped her balloon and threw her into a door following Monday's sing-along.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED: Thursday, July 28, 2011 --- 3:00p.m.
Release from DOA:
Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs reports that the state employee involved in the incident at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Monday was arrested and charged today by the Capitol Police with endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon. The case is now before the Dane County District Attorney.
Separately, the State is continuing its investigation of this same incident from a personnel perspective under civil service procedures. The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave until such time as the investigation is concluded. In keeping with State policy, there will be no further comment on the personnel related issues in this matter.
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UPDATED Tuesday, July 26, 2011 --- 5:15 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- State officials have opened an internal investigation into whether a state worker popped a state Capitol visitor's balloon.
The Department of Administration issued a statement Tuesday saying the investigation is under way. The statement said the employee did not come to work on Tuesday and won't be at work until further notice. The statement did not elaborate and a DOA spokesman didn't return a message.
Police say the woman brought a balloon to the daily lunch hour protest at the Capitol against Gov. Scott Walker's union rights law. The woman claims the state worker popped it during an argument with her.
Drops of blood were splattered on the Capitol floor where the altercation allegedly took place. The worker told investigators he slipped and cut himself before the incident began.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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UPDATED Tuesday, July 26, 2011 --- 4:55 p.m.
From the Department of Administration:
The Capitol Police investigation into the incident at the occurred at the Wisconsin State Capitol is on-going.
A separate personnel investigation is also in process by the State.
The State employee who was allegedly involved in the incident was not at work today and will not be at work until further notice.
In keeping with State policy, there will be no further comment on the personnel related issues in this matter.
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UPDATED Monday, July 25, 2011 --- 3:45 p.m.
Capitol Police are investigating an apparent fight over a balloon involving a state employee and a citizen.
It happened just before 1:00 p.m. this afternoon.
According to the Department of Administration, a citizen brought a balloon into the Capitol and the State employee popped it.
There was some confusion as to how blood landed on the floor of the Capitol.
The DOA says the State employee had slipped on the stairs and cut his hand before the balloon incident.
The employee has sought medical attention for the cut to his hand.
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Statement from the Department of Administration:
Shortly before 1PM today, an incident occurred at the State Capitol involving a State employee and a citizen.
The citizen allegedly brought a balloon into the Capitol and the State employee allegedly broke the balloon.
The State employee indicated that prior to the incident he slipped on the stairs and cut his hand.
Capitol Police are investigating the incident and interviewing witnesses. The employee has sought medical attention for the cut to his hand.
The investigation is on-going.
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