No rain on convention protest parades

By Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 19, 2008 at 6:54 p.m.
Updated June 19, 2008 at 6:54 p.m.

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Every group that wanted to have a parade during the Democratic National Convention will.

And every parade will end "within walking distance" of the Pepsi Center — but nobody knows yet exactly where that will be.

That is the upshot of a decision late today by Denver officials to hand out parade permits during the convention, scheduled Aug. 25-28. The final ending point of the parade route is expected to be determined in the next few weeks, said Sue Cobb, spokeswoman for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

"It's really a matter of accommodating people in parades and folks who aren't in parades as they enter the public viewing area, and then minimizing disruption downtown," Cobb said. "We're still figuring out some pieces there."

The "public viewing area" will be in Lot A and is expected to be occupied by demonstrators. The city had earlier committed to establishing that area within "sight and sound" of the Pepsi Center.

The parade route, however, may not end within "sight and sound" of the arena, Cobb said.

In all, the city awarded parade permits to seven groups, who have planned a total of 12 parades. The protest group Recreate 68 got a slot for a parade each day.

The exact route has been a point of contention — protesters wanted to pass close by the Pepsi Center, with a chance to be seen and heard by convention delegates.

"I think there's a lot of delegates that will see people parading," Cobb said.

So far, the city has made public only part of the route, beginning in Civic Center, traveling west on Colfax Avenue, then north on Speer Boulevard. At the intersection of Speer and Larimer Street, the route stops — for now.

Cobb said the final ending point will be determined in the coming weeks.

The city also has announced that parades will be allowed only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Although the first parade will be scheduled to start each day at 11, the times for those following it won't be firmly established.

"It will depend each day on the size of the parades," Cobb said.

Most delegates will begin arriving at the Pepsi Center around 3 p.m., with events scheduled to begin each day at 4 p.m., DNC officials have said.

In St. Paul, Minn., city officials released the designated parade route for the Republican National Convention last month. That route goes within 300 feet of the Xcel Center, site of the GOP convention Sept. 1-4. Marchers also must pass by the Xcel Center by 2 p.m.

In Denver, the groups awarded parades Thursday all applied before a March 14 deadline. Any new applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, Cobb said.

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