You are currently browsing all posts tagged with 'capitol dome'

Long-lasting heart-shaped balloon in Capitol is ‘symbol of our fight’ for protest movement

  • June 23, 2011 at 7:48 pm

The tens of thousands of protesters have left. the metaldetectors are gone. 

But a small reminder of the massive demonstrations that rockedthe state Capitol for weeks on end remains. A mysteriousheart-shaped red balloon still floats inside the Capitol dome,where it has hovered high over the rotunda since mid-February. 

The helium balloon, which has somehow stayed inflated for morethan four months after being released by protesters, has become asymbol of sorts. it now has its own “CapitolBalloon” Facebook page and “The Heart Balloon”Twitter account. the balloon even has caught the eye of theWisconsin Historical Society, which has been gathering artifacts tochronicle Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to dramatically limit collectivebargaining for public workers and the ensuing explosion ofprotests.

“Someday the heart-shaped red balloon will make its finaldescent, and we hope it may find its way into the Society’scollection soon afterward,” reads a HistoricalSociety Web page devoted to the balloon.

Some say it has been hovering atop the dome since Feb. 14, theday hundreds of protesting UW-Madison students and teachingassistants held a Valentine’s Day march along State Street before flooding theCapitol with “valentines” for the governor and signs reading,”Please don’t break our hearts.”

But others suspect it is one of 80 balloons that two protesters,Dana Campbell and her fiance, Wes Bonin, brought to the Capitol onFeb. 19. they released a few, then gave some to children and tiedothers around the building.

“I can’t guarantee that it’s one of mine, but I can say it’s agood possibility,” Campbell told the State Journal.

She said all of them were normal mylar balloons she bought froma dollar store, adding that she “never expected a helium balloon tolast this long.”

However it got there, lately the balloon has been hovering atabout 184 feet, not far from the “Resources of Wisconsin” paintingin the inner dome.

Its staying power has inspired quite a fan following.

“I think the Capitol balloon symbolizes the feelings ofsolidarity that Wisconsinites are feeling, and the love for ourCapitol,” frequent protester Nicole Desautels Schulte said, lookingup at the balloon. “It’s something that is not going to give up.the balloon is a symbol of our fight.”

Long-lasting heart-shaped balloon in Capitol is ‘symbol of our fight’ for protest movement

Related Reading:

History -- The St. Valentine's Day MassacreHistory -- The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Care to leave a comment?