Jun 24, 2008 5:01 am US/Mountain
Groups, Denver Argue Over Rallies At Convention
By Ivan Moreno, AP Writer
DENVER (AP) ―
A spat between groups planning protests during the Democratic National Convention and city and federal officials continues to build as one of the biggest political events of the year rapidly approaches.
At issue is additional information city officials released Monday of an area for protesters during the convention, and whether groups planning demonstrations would be within sight and sound of the delegates.
City officials have said they are committed to allowing protesters to express their views and be heard by delegates, and have designated what they call a "public viewing area" in a parking lot next to the Pepsi Center, the site of the convention Aug. 25-28.
The area will use 50,000 square feet within a 350,000-square-foot parking lot next to the Pepsi Center. It will be encircled by wire mesh similar to chain link and will not be enclosed at the top, according to details released Monday.
That area, which is where the city's designated parade route ends, and the route itself have become lightning rods for protest groups, who encouraged the American Civil Liberties Union to sue the city and the U.S. Secret Service to release information about the demonstration area and security plans.
"I think that there's been a lot of restrictions imposed on free speech," said Zoe Williams, a convention coordinator for Codepink, a national anti-war group. Codepink is one of 12 groups represented by the ACLU in the lawsuit.
Attorneys for the U.S. Secret Service on Monday filed a motion in federal court asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed and saying they have no obligation to release information to protesters.
As part of the lawsuit, city officials agreed earlier this month to release a "designated parade route" and promised to disclose details of where it would end, as well as information about the demonstration zone next to the Pepsi Center.
So far, the information released has failed to meet protester's expectations, who say they still don't know where the parade route ends, where in the parking lot the demonstration zone will be, or what it will look like.
Williams said the lack of information has made it difficult to plan events.
"I think that anytime that these kinds of restrictions are imposed on free speech, we should be critical of it," she said.
Local group Re-create 68, also has complained in the past about the parade route, saying the times it will be open for use -- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- guarantee protesters won't be seen by delegates, who arrive daily at the Pepsi Center at 4 p.m.
"The ACLU will now challenge, in federal court, the city's refusal to allow protest marches that can be seen and heard by the delegates," ACLU attorney Mark Silverstein said in an e-mail.
The next hearing between the ACLU and the city officials is June 30.
City officials said in a news release the public viewing area will be within view and earshot of the delegates, and it will accommodate several thousand people.
"Our intention is to maximize opportunities for people to express themselves in a safe manner that also respects the rights of others as well as local, state and federal laws," said Katharine Archuleta, senior policy adviser to Mayor John Hickenlooper.
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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