Protesters relatively mild as DNC prepares to begin
By Ashleigh Oldland, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 23, 2008 at 4:38 p.m.
Updated August 24, 2008 at 9:41 a.m.
Tim Hussin © The Rocky
Daryl Odefey and Mark Cohen, of Recreate 68, participate in a balance exercise as Alicia and Brad Gumm, of Gumm Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitso, train protesters at Lincoln Park on Saturday, August 23, 2008.
Photo by Tim Hussin © The Rocky
Robert McLaughlin, with World Can't Wait Drive Out the Bush Regime, of New York City, argues with a pro-life protester during a protest outside the Planned Parenthood building in Northeast Denver at 7155 E. 38th Ave. on Saturday, August 23, 2008.
Aurora Commander Jack Daluz takes a photo of Aurora police officers equipped with civil disobedience gear at Civic Center Park on Saturday, August 23, 2008. Denver Police Sgt. Greg Jones said police units went into operation today. He said they expect to be busy but hope to not be. (TIM HUSSIN/ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS)
Protests were relatively few and protesters were relatively mild Saturday as the Democratic National Convention prepared to gear up.
Under often threatening skies, the city welcomed visitors, with many arriving at a busy Denver International Airport.
Although major protests are planned in the next few days, only a few today had any real tension.
There were a few difficult moments, however, when six uniformed police officers surrounded a man wearing a "Defend Denver" T-shirt near the state capitol building.
Tom Mestnick, with protest group Re-create '68, said he also had a small altercation with police today when he parked illegally on the road near Lincoln Park in order to unload some materials for a protest training this afternoon.
"Ten cops swarmed over there and they asked me to move," Mestnick said. "The police want so badly to crack some skulls. It's so obvious."
Anti-abortion protestors outside of a Planned Parenthood on 38th Avenue and Quebec Street carried posters with bloody and graphic photos. They handed out pamphlets and broadcast their views with microphones.
One of the anti-abortion group's trucks was labeled with "Obama Wants You! ... to Pay for Abortion" with an illustration of the assumed presidential nominee depicted in an Uncle Sam motif.
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August 23, 2008
5:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
Uno writes:
So that's what we can look forward to; protesters with re-create 68 break the law and it's the cops fault. Tom you're an arrogant little pri*k, you should leave town now!
August 23, 2008
7:13 p.m.
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peterclarke writes:
Well in China they have something to hide, but I was of the opinion that in America " the great democracy for the world " its citizens could freely express their individual opinions openly and not put in cages far away from the center of the Democratic convention for the crowing (maybe) of the great nonwhite and questionable Junior Senator Barack Hussein Obama. Keep smiling voters.....
August 23, 2008
8:54 p.m.
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CJHunter writes:
Peterclarke..I wish protestors could speak freely..and without violence, but based on protests in the past, including the WTO in Seattle, there seems to be such a lack of civility anymore that police do have to step in to keep the peace and protect persons. One persons rights do not trump my rights, nor do mine trump others. As far as Tom Mestnick is concerned, they "asked" you to move...sounds like you might be an expert in people wanting to crack your head, wonder why that is?
August 23, 2008
9:10 p.m.
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timeandagain writes:
such geeks....
August 23, 2008
10:07 p.m.
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Shadow writes:
Anyone else seem think it is a little wierd that the protestors are getting classes in the martial arts. If they are to be peaceful why the need for self defense?
August 24, 2008
12:53 a.m.
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LuvAmerica writes:
Shadow, you need to go read about the original '68 DNC. Lots and lots of people got attacked by the cops for doing absolutely nothing. I bet self-defense in this situation is mostly about learning to keep oneself from being hurt while under attack, not about taking out an attacker.
August 24, 2008
6:40 a.m.
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Vector049 writes:
Contrary to popular belief, this isn't 1968. MLK and RFK wern't recently assassinated, the cities arn't buring in racial strife, 308 soldiers wern't killed this week in an crazy war, nobody is dropping LSD and Americans are too fat, dumb and happy.
They can't recreate '68 no matter how hard they try. If anything, they should be celebrating that Bush, Cheney and Rice will soon leave office.
August 24, 2008
9:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
cdmdenver writes:
Keep your cameras rolling!
If I was doing a peaceful and lawful
protest, I would keep my camera,
cell phone rolling.
In the event someone wants to
start "cracking heads", its
ALL on tape for the jury (Evidence).
August 24, 2008
10:48 a.m.
Suggest removal
Shadow writes:
LuvAmerica, so which history should I read? The truth or the rewriten version that is out there?
I still do not understand how taking Brazilian ju Jitsu, a very aggresive grappeling art, will prepare them for a PEACEFUL demonstration.
This is not 68 as pointed out by Vector049. Yet protestors and their supporters seem to think that there is some sort of neocon conspiracy to start a violent campaign against them.
I think maybe your koolaid has been spiked.