Permit-less protesters planning 'Free City'
Re-create 68, others vow to defy Civic Center ban
By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published April 10, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Photo by Barry Gutierrez / The Rocky
Glenn Spagnuolo, 37, left, puts a sign in the grass Wednesday at Civic Center as a coalition of groups announced they will defy the city and create a "Free City" in the park during the Democratic National Convention in August, despite not having a permit.
Four people from groups promising massive demonstrations during the Democratic National Convention gathered in Civic Center on Wednesday and said they plan to defy the law and turn the park into a "tent city" open to everyone this August.
"From this point forward, Civic Center Park will be considered the property of the people and it will thus be renamed 'Free City,' " Re-create 68 organizer Glenn Spagnuolo said as three of his companions struggled to hammer a "Free City" sign into the park's turf.
"Nobody should be excluded from using a public park," he said, adding that the city's overnight camping prohibitions at Civic Center would have to be disobeyed.
Police referred inquiries to Mayor John Hickenlooper's office.
Katherine Archuleta, a senior adviser to the mayor, issued a statement about the protesters' "intention to ignore the city of Denver's longstanding prohibition against overnight camping" in urban parks.
"We support and encourage people to express their views safely and in a manner that respects the rights of others along with the laws and ordinances of our city," Archuleta said in the statement.
Councilman Charlie Brown laughed when he heard that Civic Center had been christened with a new name, but then said Denver was going to have to be "firm and strong" with protesters.
City won't back down
"As far as I'm concerned, we're not going to back down," he said.
Brown said he was confident that police, the Secret Service and FBI would be ready to handle "what could be a very serious situation."
Re-create 68 has promised demonstrations that will rival those at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, which saw street battles between police and anti-Vietnam War demonstrators.
Several members of the group and their affiliates participated in a lottery the city held to issue permits for park use during the convention, but failed to get all the days they wanted at Civic Center.
When the convention host committee won a permit last month for Civic Center on the eve of the convention, Spagnuolo said Denver could face a "dangerous situation."
Brown said the Re-create 68 protesters need to grow up.
"They acted like children when they lost the lottery," he said. "We need to let some cooler heads prevail here and perhaps get some adults in on this conversation."
Spagnuolo said he and other protesters had to change strategies when the city "tried to exclude people" by issuing permits to individuals and small groups.
"Will there be a protest (on the eve of the convention)? I suspect there will be thousands of people here, but individuals don't need to have permits, according to the city, so there will be 50,000 individuals, and if something collective happens, it'll be organic," he said.
'Free love' zone
Adam Jung and Jojo Pease, of the group Tent State University, and Zoe Williams, of Colorado Street Medics, joined Spagnuolo at the press conference. They said the "tent city" would operate on a "10-point program" that included being free of racism, sexism and homophobia.
"And yes, one of the most fun ones - there will be free love as long as it's consensual," Jung said.
Spagnuolo said events are being planned at Civic Center, even on days when others have permits.
"Some folks are actually organizing a nude-in where they're going to spell the word 'peace' out of nude bodies across the middle of the park," he said. "You're going to see a bunch of different things happening."
chacond@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5099
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April 10, 2008
6:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
RJS07 writes:
Unfortunately Councilman Brown, I suspect all the adults will stay home. Spoiled brats need to be treated as such...
April 10, 2008
8 a.m.
Suggest removal
Miseslover writes:
It is really no wonder that these folks are never taken seriously in political debate.
Let's see . . . we are going to have a gathering of individuals and if something collective happens it will be organic, yet they already have a list of events planned. Pardon my confusion.
April 10, 2008
8:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
kathyM writes:
Definition of culture: What Froward likes and only what Froward likes.
April 10, 2008
8:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
AngelontheSidelines writes:
These spoiled brats can have their protest locked up a mile away in their legally designated free speech zone, likely a barbwire compound that news cameras will ignore.
If only every citizen would be a good little prole and just obey our country would be better off. The Dems could nominate their candidate and the election can proceed without messy protests embarrassing us in the nightly news.
April 10, 2008
8:29 a.m.
Suggest removal
EZBakeOven writes:
Why give this weiner any media attention? It doesn't matter what they say or do, if they break the law they are going to be arrested.
April 10, 2008
8:30 a.m.
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blacksho89 writes:
Does the "Free Love" group understand that hippies ...smell?
Real bad?
April 10, 2008
8:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
temurlan writes:
"Brown said the Re-create 68 protesters need to grow up."
Well said. When you protest for the sake of protesting, no one takes you seriously.
April 10, 2008
9:09 a.m.
Suggest removal
vudumom writes:
This should be interesting. They are planning to act really stupid and I hope it gets full national news coverage. People need another Colorado idiotic story. The hits just keep on coming.
April 10, 2008
9:15 a.m.
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CWW writes:
The only thing better would be if this was taking place in Boulder . . . . .
April 10, 2008
9:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
wshugs writes:
They will be forced to relocate when they find out the turf in City Park can not be considered "organic" due to pesticides and fertilizers. In all seriousness, if they are threatening a violent protest then they should be arrested right now for inciting violence and conspiracy.
April 10, 2008
11:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
Pioneer writes:
Come on Forward69, at least get the facts straight. Quoting MSNBC who's quoting Planned Parenthood who quotes one study by the CDC. Quoting stats you don't understand will get you burned.
http://www.cdc.gov/stdconference/2008...
Also the Mormon comment; the FLDS is a breakaway group not associated with Mormons, who married young girls to older men practicing polygamy not a free for all "public pleasure party" as you infer.
April 10, 2008
3:03 p.m.
Suggest removal
AngelontheSidelines writes:
Abstinence only education and chastity pledges result in more youth sodomy than real education. Statistics can twist to prove anything you desire.
Kids+Hormones=kids having sex. It has been this way since the dawn of mankind. Republicans would rather inflict their morals upon others than admit their children are having sex.
April 10, 2008
3:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
Marshdale writes:
Gee, where is Sasquach on this one? I cant believe he is not hippie bashing here. But of course, who does'nt like free love?
April 10, 2008
3:28 p.m.
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AngelontheSidelines writes:
The ones who are acting really stupid are those who want a hundred more years of war. How stupid are you to see that this war is about power and control, this war on terror is a war on our rights.
Muslim fantasies of an American caliphate exist only in the imagination of the fearful dweeb that surrenders their rights for protection and some vague idea of freedom.
Living in fear of the Islamofascists, homosexual agenda, God smoting you to hell, or for any other reason is not living, rather it is a slow death. Is this why law and order types would rather fight than bang a stinky hippy chick?
April 10, 2008
6:18 p.m.
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bxwatso writes:
No camping in Civic Center Park? I thought that was its primary purpose.
May 1, 2008
10:35 a.m.
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fergman writes:
Looks like its DENVER politics as normal....the city is hosting the DNC, yet they have no plan to house the thousands of people wanting to attend arguably the most important event in the U.S. hello.....its a public park. What dont you people undestand about the word public, and with thousand of citizens planning on attnding in support of, possibly the next president of the United States. This event is obviously too huge for the small minds in Denver City Government to grasp.........shame on you. If you wont let the Citizens of the United States use a public park for a day or two, yet you allow illegals to run amuck all over the city.....shame on you once again...so if you wont let us citizens, use the park, thats fine...there are allways the streets and highways we can lay down in, by the thousands....and shed some light to the entire country the incompetence that is so prevalent in the City of Denver Government.......