Tent group pitches plan to camp during DNC
By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published July 28, 2008 at 9:21 p.m.
An organizer for the planned Tent State anti-war demonstration in City Park during the Democratic National Convention said Monday the group will scrap plans to camp overnight in the park and try to abide by the 11 p.m. curfew.
But Tent State spokesman Adam Jung said organizers could not be responsible for people who leave the park then and wander into the city.
"We were hoping the city would accept a more common-sense proposal, but since they're not willing to, we'll have to come up with another option," he said.
"We'll move the demonstrators by 11 p.m."
The demonstrators - who could number 50,000, according to their own estimates - had planned to pitch tents and stay overnight in the park.
But Mayor John Hickenlooper and Councilwoman Carla Madison, whose district includes City Park, said that is out of the question.
Mayoral spokeswoman Sue Cobb said Hickenlooper's comment to radio host Mike Rosen about turning sprinklers on demonstrators who didn't leave the park by curfew was made "in jest."
But Cobb reiterated the city's stance on the 11 p.m. curfew as a non-negotiable item.
"Our park curfews will be enforced during the convention, as always," Cobb said in a statement.
"Our strongest advice to everyone coming to Denver for this event - or any event - is to arrive with plans for where they're going to spend the night - whether bunking with friends, or friends of friends, or camping at a mountain park."
Tent State protesters, who have a conditional-use permit for the park during the convention, are being asked by city officials to provide a detailed plan about their stay in City Park - including providing portable toilets and security.
That plan must be submitted by Aug. 8 - a deadline Jung said the student-run group plans to adhere to.
Jung also said there are no current plans to meet with city officials, and he questioned how productive such meetings would be.
He said the city's stance has had a chilling effect on free- speech rights, adding that many people who travel from out of state can't afford to pay for a place to stay during the convention.
"They don't want to announce there is free camping in the park, because then the people who can't afford $550 a night won't show up," Jung said.
"I think that's the basis of the city's decision.
"They don't want them to come, and most people my age can't afford the $550 a night to stay here."
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July 28, 2008
10:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
Roy writes:
Thanks, Hick.
This is right out of a forty year old playbook. Deny these kids a place to stay. Turn on the sprinklers. Send in the police. And let the neighbors deal with the consequences.
July 29, 2008
7:33 a.m.
Suggest removal
sheepherder writes:
Roy, nobody is denying these people a place to stay! Why should the city change it's laws just to facilitate this group? Good for Denver, they did the right thing. Tent State....if you want to protest, you should probably hire better planners for the next DNC to insure you have lodging arrangements.
July 29, 2008
5:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
sanjay writes:
A few points:
1. The city is just covering their own butt, liability wise. They know if anything happens to anyone staying in the park, they get sued. That's their prerogative. If they don't even let the boy scouts stay there, there's no reason to let the Tent State people stay there either. It's only fair.
2. This is all about a lack of planning on the Tent State people's part. If they had planned ahead and actually asked other anti-war people to board them, maybe some of these people at least would not be facing this problem. All you liberals pontificate about peace, love and understanding, but I wonder how many would be willing to open up your homes and backyards to these gonads.
3. Whoever says just let them stay in the park and handle their own trash and food has never gone to an outdoor concert. The place will look like a bomb hit it afterward. These students will not be responsible enough to pick up their own trash. Trust.
4. If you haven't planned ahead and you don't have a place to stay, don't come. If you still have a problem with that, take it up with your own city government but don't come here and crash the place.
5. Jay, I'm fairly certain you are retarded. Get a clue.
July 30, 2008
11:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
jay writes:
sanjay, you're as ignorant as the rest of the folks who stick their head in the sand and refuse to deal with the reality of this situation...including this hairfarmer from the city:
""Our strongest advice to everyone coming to Denver for this event - or any event - is to arrive with plans for where they're going to spend the night - whether bunking with friends, or friends of friends, or camping at a mountain park.""
what a moron.
who here thinks it's logistically possible for 50k kids to break camp in denver at 11pm and find legal camping spots in a "mountain park"?
rhetoric vs. reality people.