Few things can motivate Montanans to stand outside for close to an hour in below-zero temperatures like rallying to protect public lands.

That’s what more than 200 people from around Montana did on Thursday after the call went out across the state to show state politicians that Montanans are watching legislators’ attempts to steal money from a popular public land fund.

During the past five Legislative sessions, the Public Lands rally was held in the rotunda, where loud chants of “Keep Public Lands In Public Hands” would interrupt legislators’ conversations. This year, the rotunda wasn’t available at noon, so people bundled in parkas and pack boots and carried their signs to the Capitol steps as the thermometer read -3 and snow began to fall, adding white highlights to the black statue of Gov. Thomas Meagher.

Read more from the Missoula Current here...