Yippies stage quiet riot near DNC site with 'peace bats'
By John C. Ensslin
Monday, August 11, 2008
A quiet "riot" broke out Sunday in front of a convenience store near the Pepsi Center, site of the Democratic National Convention, when protesters, police and counter-protesters clubbed one another mercilessly.
The incident was over in a matter of minutes. But when a group of reporters and photographers arrived, the fight broke out all over again.
This particular battle was waged with "peace bats," inflatable 42-inch red, white and blue baseball bats plastered with bumper stickers that read, "Make Fun, Not War!"
As the combatants went at one other, a turntable played a vinyl record called Your Living Bill of Rights - As interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court.
And while the record spun, a slight breeze animated the wooden figures on a whirligig that featured two stick-figure cops alternating between clubbing and kicking a protester.
One of the plastic bat-wielding "cops" was Greg Seaman, a Boulder man wearing a scuffed but authentic Chicago Police uniform.
The protesters were self-described Yippies - aiming to poke a little fun with some political street theater. The skit was convincing enough that someone in the store called the real police.
When Denver patrolman David Granbery arrived, organizer Laura Kriho explained that they were Colorado Yippies.
"Ever heard of Yippies?" she asked.
"No. I've heard of hippies," he replied.
Kriho added that they were all done. The group started breaking up but not before one of them offered Granbery a "Peace Bat."
No thanks, he replied. "We're not allowed to accept gifts."