Peace march draws 100

Downtown anti-war protest monitored by local, federal police

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News

December 11, 2002

Photo Credit: Remy Kachadourian (CCMEP)

Protesters doused themselves with theatrical blood and lay down in front of a Denver federal building Tuesday to oppose war with Iraq.

"People should see the reality of war," said Breanna Treaster of Fort Collins, who applied the blood. "They just hear about it, and they don't think about the thousands of people who are going to die - and for what?"

More than 100 people took part in the march through downtown Denver to the U.S. Custom House at 19th and Stout streets, where a dozen crawled into "body bags" - actually plastic trash bags - on the sidewalk.

They were accompanied by at least as many officers from the Denver Police Department, the U.S. Federal Protective Service and the U.S. Marshals Service.

No clashes occurred.

About a dozen protesters said they wanted to be arrested - but not by the federal police, who blocked the entrance to the Custom House.

"We don't want to get a federal charge with the current attorney general," said longtime Boulder peace activist Carolyn Bninski of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center in Boulder.

So the protest was staged on a strip of city-owned land adjoining the federal property. City police did nothing to interfere, but officers videotaped the event.

The "dead" people and the rest of the protesters hummed several verses of Amazing Grace. They were joined - intentionally or otherwise - by the carillon of nearby Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church.

In a prepared statement, the protesters said the United States is not under threat from Iraq, and war will lead to civilian deaths.

The war would be fought by poor youths who are "forced to become cannon fodder because this administration's misplaced priorities deny them the opportunity for a decent life here at home," the statement said.

Some of the protesters were disappointed that they were not arrested. A few proposed blocking an intersection, but others disagreed.

"When you do civil disobedience, you don't always get arrested," Bninski told them.

The demonstrators were mostly ignored by passers-by.

One man shouted, "Cowards," at the demonstrators as he roared past in a white Cadillac. A man in a pickup gave them a thumbs up.

David Ballinger, who works in the area, watched from across the street. I've not really made up my mind," he said of a war with Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction or nerve agents, "perhaps the U.S. has to step in," Ballinger said.

Marc Piscotty © News
Joining about 100 anti-war protesters, Michelle Jung, of Boulder, holds a sign and flashes the peace symbol in front of the U.S. Custom House federal building in downtown Denver on Tuesday as police officers stand guard. The demonstration opposed the United States' possible war with Iraq.
 

morsonb@RockymountainNews.com or (303) 892-5072

Peace activists show up, miss jail

By MARIA BONDES Colorado Daily Staff , Dec. 11, 2002

Most protesters try to avoid major confrontations with the police, while others focus on getting arrested.

As thousands of peace activists across the country were celebrating National Human Rights Day with a nationwide day of resistance Tuesday, Boulder activists were also making a case against a war with Iraq.

Members of the Boulder-based Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, a Colorado peace organization, made an attempt to spread their message beyond Boulder and joined two Denver peace groups in the state capital for non-violent direct action opposing a war with Iraq. One of the group's goals was to get arrested in an act of civil disobedience.

"We have to show the government that they don't have the right to bomb Iraq, especially if the people are not for it," said Melissa Rossman, a Boulder participant and volunteer at the RMPJC. Rossman was arrested last week along with a number of other protesters at a rally in front of Sen. Wayne Allard's office.

"We are going to fill your jails and are to announce that people are not willing to remain silent. It's more effective the more people get arrested," Rossman said.

The event started at the American Friends Service Committee's office in Denver with a general lesson in how to get arrested using non-violent confrontation. The preparation included legal and medical advice as well as lawyer contact information, which the group wrote on their forearms in case of the removal of personal items by jail officials.

The estimated 25 activists intent on arrest, most of who were Boulder residents, prepared statements and practiced phrases such as "I am going to remain silent" and "I want to speak to a lawyer."

"We are committed to stopping that war and so arrests are acceptable risks to take to prevent a greater evil," said organizer Richard Andrews from the Peace and Justice Center on Monday. "That people are willing to get arrested just shows the rest of the public the strength of their hope that the people that see or hear it will realize that they need to take a position."

At 10:15 a.m. the group of about 100 protestors started a silent march through downtown and toward the military recruitment center in the Customs House.

Many of the activists carried signs with slogans such as "Was your American flag made in China?" and "No war on Iraq."

Some wore white face paint or daubed themselves with artificial blood as symbol of the deaths that would be caused by a war on Iraq.

A large number of media and police awaited the protestors at the Customs House, located on 19th Street between Stout and California Streets in Denver. Fellow protesters also awaited with two coffins draped with American flags as a symbol of those who would be killed in a war with Iraq.

Protesters stated to police their motivations and willingness to get arrested, with those intending to face charges reading their prepared statements as a message of peace.

"We will not be intimidated and scared, we will make the courageous decision to love," one of them said.

At the sound of the crowd humming "Amazing Grace," those attempting to get arrested lay down on the sidewalk in body bags to begin their civil disobedience.

"Violence causes violence," said Boulder resident Marilyn Miller, who was holding a sign that read "Grandmothers for peace." "I think it's important to stop this war before it begins," she said.

Observers of the protest had mixed reactions. Some pointed out that there are better ways to get involved in politics, and others applauded the event.

"I think it's great," said Lois Temple, a Denver resident. "They make people stop and think and it's a reminder that there is really something going on."

But disappointment spread among the activists when the Denver police, an estimated 150 strong, announced that no arrests would be made unless the situation escalated.

"We will not attempt any arrests unless there will be an escalation, because the sidewalks are not blocked and there haven't been any complaints," Denver Police Commander Mike Battista told the Colorado Daily at the scene.

In an attempt to be arrested, some of the activists collected in a circle to discuss further actions. Suggestions of entering the building were dropped in fear of federal charges, which are more severe than municipal or state charges.

The idea of blocking an intersection found no support.

The group finally decided to declare victory and leave the scene peacefully.

"I definitely think this was a success," said CU sophomore Stephani Salazar, echoing organizers and other participants. "We got our point across."

The police said they were content regarding the protest's peaceful end.

"We are very glad about this outcome," Battista said. "Arresting people is not what we like to do, we do it because we have to. They feel like it was a success and we think it was a success, because we didn't have to arrest anyone."

Participants and organizers said they hoped the event, which had been planned in Boulder, could be part of a peace movement that will spread throughout the country.

"This particular movement is extremely popular," said CU junior Miriam Denmark. "It could be anywhere. Many of these here have never done such a thing before. Everybody is getting involved."

Iraq protesters act out the realities of war Written By: Web Producer Paola Farer

December 11, 2002 - 7:45 AM 9news

DENVER - Dozens of people who are against a possible war in Iraq gathered in downtown Denver Tuesday. They brought a coffin with them and other props. Some of the protesters used fake blood and climbed into body bags to dramatize the costs of war. The participants say the Bush Administration has misplaced priorities and is trying to use the war on Iraq as a distraction from problems here at home. There was a heavy police presence but nothing got out of hand and there were no arrests. In Los Angeles several celebrities, including actor Martin Sheen, held a news conference to voice their opposition to a war in Iraq. (Copyright 2002 by 9NEWS KUSA-TV. All Rights Reserved)