Tensions flare briefly as anarchists block 16th Street Mall buses, tangle with cops

By Patti Thorn, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 25, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Photo by Tim Hussin / The Rocky

A protester shouts at a Denver police officer during a rally Sunday in downtown Denver. Despite the tense moment, demonstrations were mostly peaceful.

Tina Williams

Ulises Gomez

Den Mark Wichar

Sara Wilson

Protesters shouted, sang, danced, chanted, partied, meditated - and even shopped - Sunday in what was generally a peaceful show of diversity.

But a few skirmishes with police left no question that any infraction would be met with a serious show of force.

After a day in which thousands protested everything from the war in Iraq to the need for more love and kindness in the world, there were reports of only two arrests - both for protesters giving false information to officers.

Meanwhile, tension ignited between police and protesters only briefly when a group of anarchists, some wearing bandannas over their faces to conceal their identities, blocked shuttle buses on the 16th Street Mall and later amassed on Broadway between Colfax Avenue and 14th Ave.

Their actions prompted a sea of black uniforms to swarm on each situation and quickly disperse the crowds. The anarchists later snaked their way through downtown, meeting a large police presence at Stout and 15th streets.

The display of force did little to dampen the group's enthusiasm. In fact, considering the cause, it only added to it.

"It was a street party," said Tim Simons, organizer of the anarchist group dubbed Unconventional Denver. "That's what we did today. . . . Our goal was to keep the party in the street, to make sure we weren't confined to permit areas and to make sure that the energy and the noise and the spirit of social movement was felt throughout downtown and couldn't be missed. . . . We accomplished what we wanted."

Simons noted that his group's goal is to "highlight the power of grass-roots movements as a real force for society."

War and peace

His wasn't the only group flexing its grass-roots chops. Throughout the day, members of all kinds of organizations roamed downtown - some even stopping to shop at carts along the 16th Street Mall.

They were colorful - and contradictory: Anti-war groups faced off with troop supporters; anarchists shared real estate with women peacemakers supporting "joy and humor."

One of the first events of the day was an anti-war rally at the state Capitol. Mother-turned-activist Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in the Iraq war, addressed a group of around 200, exhorting onlookers to oppose war.

"Three years ago today, we were sweltering in Crawford, Texas, camping outside George Bush's ranch," she said. "Three years later, our country is still mired in the Middle East. They're talking about more war."

Sheehan, who spoke for about six minutes, urged protesters to make their voices heard.

When the activist finished, she received rock star treatment, with people swarming around her to shake her hand or take her picture. The group then marched down Colfax, passing a cluster of pro-troop demonstrators on the side of the road. As the anti-war protesters walked by, their signs seemed to shout at each other.

"Who Would Jesus Bomb?" read one. "Land of the Free, Because of the Brave," read another, as if in retort.

Some just listening

Many of the protests centered on war, but one group sat in a circle, eyes closed as they performed meditative excercises in support of the Falun Gong, a spiritual group that has been persecuted in China.

Another group, calling themselves The World Is Listening, showed up to support, well, listening. "We are not contradicting anyone," Francisco Subiadur said. "We're listening to what they have to say."

Among the ideas they listened to others express? The importance of being kindhearted and protecting the environment, and a longing for the day when soldiers would no longer be needed.

Obviously unaware of all the ideas swirling around her downtown, member Stephanie Phibbs noted that "a sense of unity and oneness is emerging."

A sense of ennui seemed to be the only thing emerging at the area set up outside the Pepsi Center for protesters, dubbed the "Freedom Cage." It remained empty all Sunday afternoon.

At night, the action picked up - slightly. While protesters with Tent State, an anti-war group, planned for thousands to march from City of Cuernavaca Park to spend the night in the protest zone, only three protesters - and three reporters - had made their way to the area by 11 p.m.

The small group was entertained by Dead Kennedys' singer Jello Biafra, who delivered a 30-second history on the spoken word.

* Staff writers Allison Bruce, Daniel J. Chacon, Abigail Curtis, Jeff Kass, Dan Kelley, Sue Lindsay, Steve Myers, Ashleigh Oldland and Judi Villa contributed to this report.

Protest profiles

Ulises Gomez

Age: 28

Hometown: Denver, but originally from Mexico

Group: None

Day Job: Drywall

Where are you staying: At home

Why are you at the convention: "I just don't want war." He carried a "Make Love Not War" sign.

Den Mark Wichar

Age: 65

Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.

Group: individual

Day job: retired science teacher

Where are you staying: Motel 6. "I found a cheap place."

Why are you at the convention: To stump for justice, same as the sign he carries and the tattoo on his inner arm. "I've been at this since 1960 - this kind of thing. So far, I'm not sure what I have accomplished . . . But I will not say 'uncle' to the system. I'm not going to go away."

Tina Williams

Age: 34

Hometown: Denver

Group: Staticc Inc., her step-sons' hip-hop group, which performed at Civic Center and she came out in support

Day job: Helps with her cousin's catering business, which is handling some of the catering for the convention.

Where are you staying: home

Why are you at the convention: To be involved and volunteer. "I want to see a change . . . It's time for a change. And how are we going to change it? To be involved."

Sara Wilson

Age: 13

Hometown: Denver

Group: Denver Indian Center

Day job: Eighth-grade student at Merrill Middle School

Where are you staying: home

Why are you at the convention: "I'm with the girls' leadership group at the Indian Center and I dance." Sara was wearing a jingle dress covered with silver bangles and beaded shoes and hair clips after dancing the Jingle Dress Dance at Civic Center.

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