Protesters allowed to camp out overnight
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 25, 2008 at 1:31 a.m.
Updated August 25, 2008 at 2:14 a.m.
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Photo by Tillie Fong, the Rocky
Tent State University protesters at freedom camp near the Pepsi Center.
Photo by Tillie Fong, the Rocky
Police officers to talk to Tent State University members.
Photo by Tillie Fong, the Rocky
A police officer takes a picture of the protesters at the Freedom Cage.
Photo by Tillie Fong, the Rocky
Two Tent State members who arrived late set up camp early Monday morning.
FREEDOM CAGE - Activists with Tent State arrived at the protest zone and were allowed to camp out overnight. They were greeted by police officers, who told them there were three rules for staying: no touching the fence, no banners or signs to be placed on the fence, and no tent stakes to be driven into the pavement.
"We didn't know we were allowed to put up tents, otherwise, we would have a lot more people," said Jordan Hill, an organizer with Students for Peace and Justice.
Two tents were put up but that was because "they didn't get the memo" said Hill of the people who put them up. A large banner, with an illustration of a bird in a cage and the words "the freest cage of them all," was erected in front of one of the tents.
About 20 people decided to spend the night, arranging their sleeping bags in the shape of a peace symbol. The squeak of a manual air pump could be heard as different people inflated air mattresses.
Hill said that within 15 minutes of the protesters' arrival, a second set of klieg lights was placed next to the protest area, and turned on, illuminating the area where the protesters were planning to sleep.
"We asked them (the police) to see if they could turn it down, and they said they would look into it," said Hill after two police officers came back later to check on the protesters.
At about 1:30 a.m., the lights were still on. Nearby, the hum of a generator powering another set of klieg lights could be heard, with the occasional train whistle in the night.
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August 25, 2008
2:21 a.m.
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EZBakeOven writes:
Everyone is being cool - that's great!
August 25, 2008
3:22 a.m.
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Shadow writes:
So much for Denver setting the rules and staying firm with them. I do not know who is starting to cave in the most. Denver for begining to move the gray line of do's and don'ts, or the Clinton delegates for not fighting to support Hillary.
So far the protestors have not lived up to thier idel threats of taking the streets. Its still early and hopes run high but like all democrat liberal promises, it is falling way short of coming true.
August 25, 2008
7:10 a.m.
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bluecollarbytes writes:
Who ever thought the authorities would stick with their strict rules on camping out in city limits? They're essentially powerless except for a little corralling here or there. The trick will be to offer a confrontation of sorts to the attention-seekers, in a way that minimizes destruction of property.
August 25, 2008
7:17 a.m.
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LingLingfor_prez writes:
That is a bright light.
August 25, 2008
7:43 a.m.
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SL10 writes:
Do not put stakes into the pavement? How does one do that? What was the cop thinking when he said that?
August 25, 2008
9:04 a.m.
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BroncoRick69 writes:
I have some tent stakes that could easily penetrate that pavement.
August 25, 2008
10:15 a.m.
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firefan writes:
this is where, according to news reports in the last few weeks, protesters could be after the parks closed. My understanding is the protest area is open 24/7. This is why Tent State said they were moving in the evening to this area.
August 25, 2008
11:38 a.m.
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SlouchingTowardBoulder writes:
"About 20 people decided to spend the night, arranging their sleeping bags in the shape of a peace symbol."
So brave! So heroic! Way to stick it to the man!
Meanwhile, the TRUE HEROS are standing guard in Baghdad, South Korea, Bagram, and hundreds of other outposts throughout the world.
August 25, 2008
11:52 a.m.
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rpcvmars writes:
LingLing they probably just wanted to offer up a night light to make them feel more comfortable. right? ;-)
August 25, 2008
12:44 p.m.
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BroncoRick69 writes:
Slouching, how can you call them true heroes when although they are doing a job most of us wouldn't want to do, and it is a valiant one at that.....They are representing the Lies and Cowardice of George W. Bush.
August 25, 2008
2:39 p.m.
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jay writes:
"So much for Denver setting the rules and staying firm with them. I do not know who is starting to cave in the most."
this is the same ignorant thinking that made many of the policies we've seen over the last 8 years fail so miserably.
stubbornly sticking to a poor strategic decision in lieu of changing direction as necessary.
August 25, 2008
6:35 p.m.
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h8r writes:
How embarrassing for denver! No one showed up because R68 could not commit to NONVIOLENCE, and they HAD to be the spokespeople for the community. Guess what, R68-you didn't speak for ANYONE.
Good job, R68, with your tough guy ak-47 themed tshirts and self defense training. Glen, you should have had a press conference threatening to poison gas Denver-more people probably would have showed up for that than showed up for the "protests." YOU SCARED EVERYONE AWAY with your fake radical talk of violence and constant media whoring. Total disaster.