Jun 24, 2008 7:24 pm US/Mountain
Arapahoe Co. Bans Items From Public Demonstrations
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The Arapahoe county commissioners voted Tuesday to outlaw items such as gas masks, bars and sticks during public demonstrations.
Many convention delegates will be staying in Arapahoe County and Sheriff Grayson Robinson says he wants to be ready if the convention protests spill over from Denver.
The banned items range from toys to objects that could be used as weapons. Robinson said he's all for free speech, but doesn't think it needs to come with equipment.
The sheriff was armed with a whole bagful of rioter's favorites at a news conference.
"We are asking for the ordinance to prohibit gas masks," Robinson said.
He also wants to outlaw projectile launchers.
"Wrist rockets and a sling device that is typically used to throw fairly large items a significant distance," he said.
Robinson told commissioners demonstrators in other cities have used water bottles filled with dangerous chemicals and wire cables to trip up police.
"A piece of cable drug through a crowd either at ankle level or at throat level could be devastating," he said.
There were the usual concerns, like the size of the lumber to make pickets.
"This becomes a club."
And the unusual, like a child's toy Supersoaker, which is a large squirt gun.
"Very frankly, human urine has been used to spray down law enforcement professionals that are trying to maintain the public safety."
After the sheriff's demonstration, two people told commissioners that banning the items is unnecessary and clearly unconstitutional.
"The purpose of this is to control activity, which is partly our freedom of assembly," resident Margaret Karnopp said.
"Many of the things that are being outlawed here have an honest and benign purpose and there is no reason for this body to enact legislation that bans innocent, lawful substances, items simply because someone has them in possession at a public gathering," lawyer Anthony Fabian said.
But after an hour debate, the five commissioners voted to pass the ordinance. The two Democrats were against it while the three Republicans supported it.
"It's a balance. It's not a black and white issue, but public safety in my opinion, has to come first," a Republican commissioner said.
Under the new ordinance, which goes into effect immediately, the first offense for carrying those items into a public demonstration carries up to a $500 fine.
Several delegates to the convention will be staying at Denver Tech Center hotels. Some of those lie inside Arapahoe County's jurisdiction. That's why Robinson said he wants to get out in front of any potentially violent demonstrations by protestors.
The Arapahoe County Attorney says the new ordinance is based on one adopted in Los Angeles. That ordinance withstood a lawsuit.
Additional Resources
• For complete coverage of the planning for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver, as well as information about how to volunteer and for a list of helpful links, visit the
Denver 2008 DNC Convention Section.
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