[media-credit name=’PATRICK STATZ-BOYER/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Below-freezing temperatures may have kept some people indoors Thursday, but a group of approximately 30 people decided to keep warm by marching up State Street instead.

The group, comprised primarily of students, convened in Library Mall to protest the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin.

Ralliers with picket signs made their way to the Capitol behind a banner that read, "Gay marriage is a civil right."

The banner is the same large banner they carried at the rally for the same cause Nov. 19, according to Matt Nichter, who actively participated in both protests.

"We're protesting against the ban on same-sex marriages because we feel it is unjust even though it's become law," Nichter said. "We refuse to accept it; we plan to protest against it until justice is … served."

Just as the group did in November, the protesters marched to the Capitol with hopes of confronting amendment author Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin.

Nichter said the tree recently erected in the Capitol rotunda is supposed to symbolize the "camaraderie and unity" of the holiday season, but the in wake of the marriage amendment passing in the Nov. 7 elections, the tree seems to have an ironic representation.

"Mr. Gundrum is turning out be the Grinch this Christmas," Nichter said. "The theme of this rally is, 'All we want for Christmas is our civil rights,' and since he's one of the main architects of this new law, I think we're going to pay him a visit."

Though the protesters made their way to Gundrum's office, it was to no avail — just like in November, the protesters found themselves standing before an empty office.

Since the Legislature is between sessions now, Nichter said, most legislators are often out of their offices, so the protesters may plan an "event" for opening day of next session in January.

UW junior Brian Rooker voted "No" on the amendment in November but said it does not make sense for people against the amendment to protest in Madison because Dane County was the only county in Wisconsin to vote against it.

"I think that they should stop protesting here and start protesting in the counties where they voted 'Yes,'" Rooker said. "Clearly that makes sense."

However, Family Research Institute of Wisconsin spokesperson Rocco DeFilippis said many of the anti-amendment protests are "a little overblown."

DeFilippis said there were ways for domestic partners to "take care of their personal arrangements," and those options still exist since the November elections.

DeFilippis also said many of the anti-amendment protests are not well thought out.

"People are throwing out labels like bigotry, and I don't think people like to be labeled like that," DeFilippis said. "The people of Wisconsin voted to uphold traditional values, and I don't think that just because someone affirms a traditional value that they are necessarily a bigot, and I don't think you can just throw that blanket statement out there."

Nichter said the protesters are rallying in Madison for a reason.

By protesting in Madison, Nichter said, the group hopes to compel people in the Capitol and the university administration to act against the constitutional amendment.

"We don't want them to think people just submitted to this. We're trying to pressure local officials to take a stand in defiance of the law and issue [same-sex marriage] licenses," Nichter said. "We think they should actually take positive steps to try to challenge this in practice as well as legally."