Police and Protestors Prepare For Each Other
Washington Post .....What, exactly, can Denver expect this week? That's difficult to predict, experts said. Conventions have transpired without major unrest since riots broke out at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. Four major protest groups -- one called Recreate '68 -- plan to demonstrate in Denver, mostly to demand more rights for immigrants and an end to the Iraq war. Organizers said they expect more than 25,000 protesters to participate, with the stated goal of derailing convention proceedings.
Denver already has experienced a few security scares. Sen. John McCain's area headquarters here received an envelope containing white powder last week, and four employees went to the hospital for examination before officials determined the powder was not lethal. Earlier in the summer, a marijuana advocacy group gathered downtown and started beating people with bats. Police rushed to the scene -- only to realize the protest was staged and the bats were inflatables.
In the local newspapers, Denver officials have outlined several worst-case scenarios: Protesters might chain themselves together with chicken wire, use quick-setting cement to block streets or threaten delegates with violence. One city councilman said anarchists had rented a house in Denver and stocked it with urine, which would be sprayed on crowds as they entered the Pepsi Center.
Protesters denied all of the above.
Washington Post
2 comments:
Denver Police department has a history of creating violence with the arrest of minor offenders. The increased presence of law suggests violence and thats where it usually starts. I see Ritter even has the Colorado Department of Corrections in the Act???
Would it not have been better, to make it known by the Democractic party, that they had set up a committee to have heard and aired the protesters complaints.Citizens need to be heard, isnt that the democratic way?? djw
The protestors are looking for publicity for themselves, just as the democratic party is looking for publicity. There is no real interest on either side to change anything.
I protested in Civic Center park and walked the 16th street mall on Saturday and Sunday with signs and shouting slogans about the lies of Gov Ritter on his new prison and impressing listeners about the prison situation here in CO.
I saw the local news media take their two minute sound bytes and leave Civic Center Park.
Several "documentary" film makers continued to film for several hours as the lead protestors babbled on and on about their causes...mpc
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