Legal Commentary

Recap: Sunday Protest Events

By Jeralyn

The protests in Denver began today. There was some attempt by protesters to block streets. It was peaceful with little resemblance to protests of conventions past.

What happened instead was a street-fair display of disparate causes, from anti-war fervor to climate control, immigrant rights and the legalization of marijuana. Participants paraded through the streets of downtown Denver peacefully as police — aided by the Secret Service, FBI and National Guard — kept watch from bikes, rooftops and helicopters.

Cindy Sheehan and Recreate '68 began the morning with a protest event on the steps of the state capitol in Denver. Later, there was a march from Civic Center Park to the Pepsi Center.

Cindy Sheehan spoke as did Glenn Spagnuolo of Recreate '68, Ron Kovic and the rap duo Dead Presidents. Recreate '68 had its own security guys at the base of the Capitol steps, wearing red bandannas. [More...]

Cindy Sheehan pointed out Sen. Barack Obama's many votes that in some way furthered the Iraq war, such as funding bills.

Most of the speakers talked about how their intent was to protest peacefully. There were a couple of more vocal Young Turks-types who shouted out things like "F** the police."

Ron Kovic spoke about the importance of continuing the protests to ensure we don't continue to get into wars.

The police were well-behaved but clearly prepared for anything. During the march, police were observed filming the protesters. (Maybe that explains the bandanas worn by the Recreate '68 security folks.)

At one point at the Capitol, those assembled surrounded a Fox News Reporter and demanded he leave. There was some pushing and shoving. Video is here. According to the Rocky Mountain News, the confrontation was sparked by an unpleasant encounter between the reporter, Griff Jenkins and former CU professor Ward Churchill. Recreate '68 says the reporter touched Churchill.

"Our security pushed him away from (Churchill) because nobody touches Ward while he's here," Spagnuolo said. "As soon as he put his hands on him, security moved him away."

One person who attended related to me that Dead Presidents criticized Obama and rappers like JayZ who have supported Obama, saying it was just support for Corporate America. They said people shouldn't vote for a President just because of race.

There were more than 1,000 people participating by the time the march reached the Pepsi Center.

The Rocky Mountain News has this video.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 25, 2008 (boomark / email).