VIDEO: Walker Faces Protesters During Hudson Factory Visit

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker visited Hudson on Tuesday to tout his job-creation plan at Empire Bucket, a heavy equipment manufacturing facility on Livingstone Road.

The governor spoke to the workers for about 15 minutes, fielded questions from the press and toured the factory. By most accounts, it was a typical political appearance.

The scene outside, however, was not typical.

"Show me what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like," the crowd chanted.

Hudson police estimated that more than 200 protesters and a handful of Walker supporters stood in the street, held signs and chanted while the governor carried out his appearance.

Anti-Walker protesters have been demonstrating in Hudson in some capacity since Feb. 16, and have carried on with demonstrations through this weekend even though Walker has already signed his controversial legislation into law.

Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen, who was among the officers keeping an eye on things outside, said the Walker budget protests over the past month have gone without incident.

“I've been with Hudson for just over 24 years now, but I've been in law enforcement/corrections for more than 30 years,” Jensen said. "I was at Hormel for the Hormel strikes in the late 80s and when I first got hired in Hudson I was at the spearfishing protest that was going on, and these are tame compared to those two incidents. People have been very cooperative, they've been very good. We've had, obviously, the protests and chants and stuff, but nothing that's been disorderly or any destruction of property, along those lines. We haven't had any arrests, so it's worked out well."

Police blocked off the street in front of the factory so protesters could safely get their message across.

“The middle class are finally standing up for their rights,” said Kathy Benson, Owner and CEO of Twin River LLC, a Hudson-based business. "It's not just about unions, it's about a whole bunch of issues. It's about workers' rights. It's about listening to people and negotiating, and not trying to ram a bill through down people's throats without any negotiation."

Inside the facility, Walker received plenty of support. Former Hudson mayor and current State Assembly representative Dean Knudson was on hand for the governor’s appearance and liked what he heard.

“I'm happy to have been a part of it,” Knudson said. "We went to Madison as a group in January and there was a clear goal. We're not going to do business as we have in the past where push off the problems and hope that somebody else, sometime, someday will face the problems. The time is now. The somebody is here. And we're going to face the problems and do what's right. That's means there will be tough choices, but the structural deficits we have had every single two years, it's time to be done with those. We're going to put Wisconsin on a firm financial footing and be ready to really turn our economy around."

Though outnumbered, Walker had a few supporters gathered outside as well.

“There's an assumption being held here today that anybody that's for Walker is against teachers. I'm not against teachers,” said Hudson resident Terry Powers. "I think they do an outstanding, necessary job. I just think that it's time for some of that money that goes to their benefits to be not paid by me."

But a vast majority of people in the crowd outside were not on the governor’s side.

“Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Scott Walker has got to go. Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Scott Walker has got to go,” the protesters chanted.

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Patch.com Regional Editor contributed to this report.

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